Misty Rains
by fuzzydream
Summary: Modern AU. Anna is a nurse who lives a normal life until John Bates arrives in town. Will her life ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Misty Rains

**Summary:** Modern AU. Anna is a nurse who lives a normal life until John Bates arrives in town.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** I'll be very honest with you: I never thought I'd write a modern fan fiction for Downton Abbey. I've never read any because I never thought it would make much sense. Then again, this might make no sense at all. But then I had this plot idea, and it would only seem possible in a modern setting and, well, here I am. I'll give those modern fan fictions a shot now. Anyway, I really hope you'll like it. This is only an intro, more of a prologue perhaps, so I'll try to post next chapter soon – if you feel like reading more, of course!

* * *

><p><strong>Misty Rains <strong>by _fuzzydream_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

People always say there's calm before the storm.

And it's true, it really is.

The birds are singing and the air is pure and the sun is high in the sky. And, suddenly, everything goes quiet. The birds return to their nests, the air changes and the clouds are coming. It's calm, and then it starts raining and it's not calm anymore.

Anna never really believed that until she became a nurse; one minute, everything was slow and calm. Next thing you see, there's been a car accident and the emergency room is filled with victims and chaos breaks out as a fight in a local pub turned quite serious and she doesn't even have time to think, let alone feel.

The day started out normal enough; Anna's shift would start soon, busy enough for a week day, and she would leave twelve hours later.

It was just another day, and she was as ready for a storm as she had ever been.

Except that this time the storm would happen in her heart.

* * *

><p>Anna woke up late, something she rarely did – especially if she needed to be at work in the morning. She got up in a hurry and, seeing as she would have no time to eat a bite before going to the hospital, she put on her uniform and, as she was pulling her hair into a ponytail, she heard the very distinct noise of ambulances in the distance.<p>

"Looks like this will be a busy day, Boris," Anna said, looking at her cat, which literally couldn't care less about what she was saying, too busy with himself.

She sighed, put on her shoes, grabbed her bag and managed to get the bus in time, though she had no idea how.

The sun was shining brightly against her face as she sat down, appreciating the quiet moment that would precede her twelve hour shift. The bus stopped for a minute and Anna enjoyed looking at a group of birds that stood watching them near a lamppost. As the bus started again, an elderly woman sat next to her.

"Hello, Anna, dear," she said motherly, looking at the nurse.

"Hello, Mrs. Cook," Anna greeted her with a smile, "How have you been?"

"Just alright. How's your grandmother?" Mrs. Cook asked.

"She's great. Dad is convinced she'll outlive us all with her brand new knee," Anna said with a small laugh.

"Your dad should be worried alright! I've seen how much brandy he drinks," Mrs. Cook said, shaking her head. "Hear about what happened this morning?"

"No, what?"

"You know that Victorian house they were renovating, in downtown Scarborough?" Anna nodded, and Mrs. Cook continued on, "Apparently a roof collapsed while the men worked around. Such a tragedy. Ruth said she heard it from her house, and that's nearly a mile away!"

Anna had no idea who Ruth was or where she lived, but that would definitely explain the ambulances around in the morning.

Several houses in Scarborough were being renovated, but so far none of them gave a problem whatsoever. Of course it was tragedy – not only for the house itself, but for the people involved.

"It's a tragedy, indeed. Were there many men working on the house?"

"I couldn't say, my dear," Mrs. Cook shook her head, "Now, your grandmother tells me you're single. You know, Anna, my Georgie is single too."

Fortunately for Anna, her stop came and she stood up.

"It's always nice seeing you, Mrs. Cook, but I've got to go now," Anna said apologetically, but Mrs. Cook smiled and Anna breathed in relief.

She quickly made her way into the hospital, going straight to the nurses' station, where she found Gwen.

"How was the night?" Anna asked Gwen.

"The usual," Gwen told her, "Mr. Hill's been calling every half an hour, so you probably shouldn't get worried. Apparently I'm not as good as you, so there's no point on asking me for anything."

Anna smiled, "He doesn't mean to bother. He's just lonely."

"Well, you should accept one of his proposals, then," Gwen teased her, turning serious as she handed Anna a few charts, "Did you hear about the accident?"

Anna nodded, "The one with the collapsed roof? I heard about it. How many injured?"

"Most of them barely had a scratch, or that was what the paramedic told us. Three suffered minor injuries, they'll probably be discharged soon," Gwen explained, "One of them is in surgery. Something to do with his spine. Looks serious."

Anna was about to agree when Ethel arrived, sounding disgusted.

"I just saw a guy who ate a fork. They're preparing him for surgery. Why do people do these things?"

"No idea," Gwen told her just as they heard the offending beep indicating one of the patients was calling for a nurse. Gwen looked pointedly at Anna, "It's Mr. Hill."

"I'll go," Anna said, picking up a few charts, "See you later."

* * *

><p>The victim from the collapsing roof wasn't more than a boy, in Anna's eyes – apparently the doctors tried to fix his spine, but whether he would be able to walk again it was impossible to know yet. The young man – William Mason – returned from surgery and Anna, as the designed nurse, was checking his vitals from time to time. As if it couldn't get any better, Anna was chaperoning the new nurse, Daisy Robinson, for the day, explaining to her everything about the hospital and the ward.<p>

"Daisy, will you check on Emily Richards for me? And if she's awake, please let me know," Anna said, and the young woman nearly fled, almost knocking an officer who was standing in front of the entrance door.

"That one surely got some energy," the man said and Anna looked around.

"Sam!" Anna asked him, stopping what she was doing. "I told you I didn't want to see you in my work place. Whatever are you doing here?"

"The world doesn't gyrate around you, sister," Sam said with a grin, "I'm here for William Mason. Or maybe you didn't hear that a historical house fell upon his head?"

Anna pursed her lips, "Of course I did. Do you think it wasn't an accident?"

"Can't discuss the details with you, sorry," Sam said, "The city might want to sue the Grantham Corporations on the damage, of course. They were supposed to be responsible around the house."

"Well, either way you won't be able to talk to him," Anna said while writing a few notes, "He just got out of surgery. It'll be hours before he wakes up."

"Will you tell me when he does?" Anna nodded at his question and Sam smiled, "Hey, wanna go out tonight? We're going to that pub you like later."

"Who's going?"

"Just some friends."

"No, thanks," Anna said quickly, "Even if I liked your friends I wouldn't be able to go. I agreed to help Gail at the store tonight."

"You work here the whole day with sick people and works as a cashier at night? Only you, Anna," Sam said distractedly, looking around. "You should get a boyfriend. That might stop you from working."

"Gail needs help. Her two cashiers are sick, and maybe you've forgotten all about it, but she just gave birth and shouldn't be working. You should be a good brother and help her as well," Anna rolled her eyes and smiled. "I need to go back to work. I'll let you know when Mason wakes up."

Sam winked at her and petted her cheek, "That's me sister."

Anna shook her head, returning to the charts and realising she should check on Mr. Mason soon. However, her brother was barely out of sight when Ethel voiced her thoughts.

"How come you never told me you had a brother who looked _like that_?"

"Like what?"

"Hot, handsome, beautiful. I can go on, y'know."

Anna laughed, "He's my brother. I don't see him like that."

"Well, I do, and I like him a lot!" Ethel said interestedly, "Is he single?"

Anna stood up and looked at her apologetically, "I honestly have no idea."

"If he's not married, I don't mind. Can you give me his number?"

Anna chose to ignore her pleas and left for Mr. Mason's room.

She had no idea what the young man really looked like – there was too much black and purple around his face – but he seemed like a handsome lad, and far too young to suffer from such a thing. She shook her head, thinking of what would happen to him if he never got to walk again. A terrible shame, indeed.

"Excuse me," said a voice from the door, "may I come in?"

Anna turned around from the machines and looked at the man at the room's entrance. He looked calm, almost shy, and wore fancy clothes – a suit and a tie – and looked from William Mason to her.

"Oh, yes," she said quickly, "I'm just checking on him. Are you family?"

"I'm afraid not," the man said quietly in a pleasant voice, but he appeared to be worried. "I'm William's boss, so to speak. I don't suppose you could tell me his condition?"

Anna smiled apologetically, "No, I'm sorry. You can visit, but only his doctor and his family can talk about it."

"I thought so. I'll stay around, then," he gave her a small smile and she found herself smiling back. His phone started ringing then, breaking them from the spell, "Excuse me. This is Bates. No, he's still unconscious; I won't be able to know anything..."

Anna turned around to check on William Mason's condition, and soon left the room.

Ethel was at her side the moment she reached the nurses' station.

"Who is that guy?"

"Mr. Mason's boss," Anna told her, narrowing her eyes. "You're not interested on him, are you? Half an hour ago you were begging me for my brother's number."

"I like to keep the doors open. Plus, that one's probably a keeper. Did you see his clothes?" Ethel asked her with a smile, "If he's the bloke's boss he probably makes good money. He's not wearing a ring either – I think he's in the market."

"You've looked for a ring already? Only you, Ethel," Anna shook her head.

"'Course I did! He's a bit older than us, but no problem with that. But I think I prefer your brother," Ethel said, "Can't you introduce us?"

"No, Ethel."

* * *

><p>Gail's store was in full swing when Anna arrived, right after the end of her shift at the hospital. It was a small, corner shop, that wasn't very busy during the night. Gail was ever so grateful that Anna had come, and Anna promised she'd be alright on her own.<p>

As the night progressed and things got slower, sleep was finally getting at her. She grabbed an old magazine from a drawer and started to read it. The words were beginning to blur after a few minutes, and Anna had no idea about what she was reading anymore.

"Excuse me?"

The sound of an unknown voice broke Anna from her nap, never even hearing the sound of the door opening. She looked back at the customer, embarrassed and self-conscious, noticing it was the same man who visited William Mason at the hospital during the afternoon.

"I'm so sorry. It's been a long day," she told him with an embarrassing smile, wondering if he would remember her. He gave her a sympathetic smile.

No, of course he didn't remember her. Why would he? He barely looked at her, after all.

"No problem, I understand. I just can't find a shaving cream, that's all."

"First shelf on the left," Anna said quickly, pointing at the corridor on their side, and he muttered a quiet 'thank you' before disappearing in it.

Anna took the opportunity to rub the sleep away from her eyes; at least Gail wasn't there to see this.

He came back a minute later with a few items on his hands. He smiled at her as he put them on the counter and Anna started scanning the products, noticing the shaving cream and a toothbrush; he obviously hadn't planned on staying around.

"You're William Mason's nurse, aren't you?" he asked her out of sudden, in a shy way.

Anna smiled, "Yeah. Did you manage to talk to him?"

"Yes, he woke up a few hours ago. I think you'd left already," he said. "I'm John Bates, by the way."

He extended his right hand, and Anna stopped for a moment before shaking it.

"Anna Smith."

She let go of his hand and went back to the register.

"I'm confused. Are you a nurse or a cashier?" he asked her, apparently interested.

"I'm a nurse most of the time, even though some patients see me as a waitress," Anna told him with a smile, "I take it you weren't planning on staying here?"

"Not at all," he answered her, looking around the shop. "Given the circumstances, I might have to stay in town for a while."

She gave him a sympathetic smile as he paid her.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked her quietly.

"You probably will."

"Until then, Ms. Smith."

"Until then, Mr. Bates."

They shared a smile. Anna hadn't realised she had been holding her breath until he left.

And this time she noticed he hadn't been wearing a ring.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Reviews are very much appreciated – I'd really love to know what you think of this. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"You just have to be patient, William," Anna said, "You'll be running around and working in no time, you'll see. Physiotherapy always works with slow progress."

William Mason's surgery proved to be a success, after all. He could feel his leg and even managed to move his feet a bit, but he was still a long shot from being completely recovered. After a major operation, he'd be likely to stay in the hospital for a few more days, and then continue with physiotherapy and medication. The process would be slow, but everyone was confident he'd be living a normal life in only a few months.

"I suppose you're right," William said, looking at his feet at the end of the bed as Anna adjusted his medications. "I just wish I could leave, that's all."

"Growing tired of us already?" Anna teased, trying to cheer him up. William was a polite young man, and rarely complained of anything. After four days in the hospital, she was used to seeing him in a good mood and having comfortable conversations with him.

"No, that's not what I... Well, you're all so nice, and..."

Anna laughed, "I was just kidding. Nobody likes to stay in a place when you're sick and with strange people around you."

She adjusted a few more things and looked sympathetically at William.

"All set. Dr. Tam will be here in a minute," she said, and William nodded. "Anything else, you know where we are."

Anna left William's room and walked to the nurse's station, stopping when she saw her brother talking to Ethel. She exchanged a look with Gwen, who sat behind the desk, and pursed her lips. There was no stopping for Ethel now.

"Two times in a week. You must really miss me," Anna said, and Sam turned around. Ethel smiled at her and returned to her paperwork. Anna rolled her eyes and shook her head, an amused grin on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I was around and thought I'd stop for a visit," Sam told her as she wrote some notes on William's files and passed them to Gwen. Anna looked at him gravely. "I'm serious! Mum asked me to tell you to come to dinner today. She wants to tell you all about her new dishwasher."

"I can come after work. Will you be there?"

"I have a previous engagement, can't be cancelled."

"Of course it can't," Anna agreed vigorously, "I see you've met Ethel."

Sam nodded, "Sweet girl. Listen, I gotta run. See you, Anna."

He kissed her cheek and left without another word. Gwen grinned at her.

"Ethel nearly jumped on him when he asked for you. I think they're going out tonight," she told her, "Should we be worried?"

Anna shook her head, "Not really. I'm just not sure who will be the first to dump the other. Sam can't get a hold on women," she looked around distractedly, shook her head and turned to Gwen again, "Did anyone stop to visit William Mason yesterday?"

"Not while I was here, no," Gwen told her distractedly, "You don't seem very excited about visiting your family today."

"That's because I'm not. I'm actually preparing myself to be asked about my love life, and to hear about one or two blokes my mum thinks are perfect for me," Anna said, "And later on, she'll complain about not having enough grandchildren. You'd think I'm too old to have children, really."

"But you're only twenty-eight!"

"And my mum already had three kids by the time she was twenty-five," she said, "I'm used to it, really."

"Well, good luck. You sound like you need it," Gwen told her sympathetically, "I think I'll take a break; do you want anything from the cafeteria?"

"No, thanks. Mr. Hill needs to be prepared for surgery in five minutes," Anna said.

"Must be difficult for you, with your fiancée having a surgery and all," Gwen teased her as she walked away.

"It's only a laparoscopy," Anna rolled her eyes, "And he's not my fiancé!"

Anna truly wasn't looking for a relationship. She had never been that good with them, and she stopped looking for someone when the last one ended badly. It was a silly notion, really – to wait for someone special to appear from nowhere.

Even sillier than that had been her daydreams of John Bates, William Mason's boss or something like that. Why, she had no idea – she had never been particularly attracted to older men, but there was something about him, something that she couldn't define, that got to her. Perhaps it was his smile. Or maybe his eyes, or his voice. She didn't know.

The fact was that they, indeed, saw each other the day after the night in Gail's shop, and every day after that. He said he came to see William, but Anna noticed his visits to the young lad were fairly quick. He spent far more time talking to her, actually; on one occasion, Gwen had to call for her because she was so focused on their conversation that she forgot she had things to do.

So she was attracted to him, very much so – and even though she wasn't particularly looking for a relationship, she felt it was time she started thinking about herself, about her future. Perhaps it wouldn't be with John Bates, but either way she needed some prospects.

The other nurses noticed it, of course. Anna was the nurse in charge of the ward, and she was very professional all the time; to see her deep in conversation with a stranger was extremely unusual. Thomas made sure to voice this to nurse Elsie, who was in charge of the entire hospital's nurse's staff, but Anna never heard a word of it.

"Hello," someone said behind her, and Anna saw Ethel's surprised face before turning around.

"Hi," Anna said, looking at John Bates.

He smiled at her, and Anna was suddenly very self-conscious of the fact that she was working her second shift of the day, and that her normally tight ponytail was probably very messy.

He was dressed in more casual clothes today, probably because it was a Saturday, and he was wearing glasses – something that made him even more charming, Anna decided. He seemed a bit unsure himself, though she couldn't tell why; they had only seen each other twice before, after all.

"I came to visit William," he said, "Great to see he's getting better. Everyone was very worried about him."

"Yeah, it's always great to see a patient getting better," Anna said slowly, watching from the corner of her eye as Ethel got closer to them, "You getting on alright around here?"

"Oh, just fine. It's a lovely town. I might have to stay a few months here now, what with the accident and everything. The company wants someone supervising closely now," he explained, "I'm thinking of visiting the castle tomorrow."

"Oh, are you? It's lovely up there," Anna managed to say, but Ethel interrupted her almost as soon as the words left her lips.

"Oh, Anna knows _everything _about that place!" Ethel interrupted them, almost making Anna jump at the sound of her high voice, "Right, Anna? She's lived here her whole life; she knows everything about the castle and the history and everything. You wouldn't be able to find a better guide to the place."

Anna was looking at Ethel with wide eyes, not quite believing what she just heard. Really, she'd be having a very long talk with her...

"Well then, maybe you could come with me?" Mr. Bates' voice turned Anna's attention back to him.

Anna looked at him, not quite expecting this, but obviously this was the reaction Ethel had been waiting for. He was looking at her rather nervously, and she knew she had to say something.

"I'm no expert, really. My dad used to work there as a tour guide several years ago, that's it," Anna found herself saying, "Not that it wouldn't be nice, of course, but..."

"Oh, Anna, you're being modest!" Ethel told her, again meddling, and then turning to Mr. Bates, "Believe me, she knows a lot. There isn't even a tour guide there anymore, just an audio thing."

"I think that would be interesting," he said, "I mean, if you wanted to, of course."

"What? Um... Yeah, alright, that'd be nice, I mean... The sightings are beautiful," Anna said with a smile, mentally smacking herself for being so uncertain.

"Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"

Anna gave him a sad smile, "Sorry, I'm working tomorrow."

"I'll switch with you!" Ethel said promptly, "You work my shift tomorrow night and I start yours in the morning."

Anna looked suspiciously at Ethel.

"I really don't mean to be a bother," Mr. Bates started, and before Ethel could speak, Anna did.

"It's no bother," she said quickly. "We can visit the castle tomorrow. It's been a while since I played tourist around here."

"Oh, bloody hell," Anna heard Ethel muttering, and then raising her voice, "Anna, Mr. Hill needs to be prepared for surgery. You know he only likes you."

"I can see why," Mr. Bates said, and Anna was sure she was blushing.

"Right, um... I need to go," she smiled apologetically at him.

"Here's her number," Ethel said promptly, handing him a piece of paper, "She leaves at eight, call her after that and arrange the details."

"I'll call you," Mr. Bates picked up the paper and smiled, "Better go talk to William before visitation is over."

They exchanged a smile and Anna watched as he walked away. She waited until he was out of sight to speak to Ethel.

"What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

"God, the sexual tension was killing me!" Ethel said defensively, "Not just me, you know? Even the poor guy he visits asked Daisy about you talking to him. I figured it'd be better if you get out on a proper date before you end up having a quickie inside some empty room around here!"

"Ethel..."

"Been there, done that, Anna, believe me," Ethel rolled her eyes, "Besides, he seems like a nice bloke, the type who takes you to fancy restaurants and do romantic gestures. Which girl wouldn't like that?"

"Alright. Well, I can't say I'm not happy to be going out with him," Anna said, and Ethel gave her a broad smile, "Now, Mr. Hill is waiting. I'll see you later."

* * *

><p>"But is he picking you up?" Gwen asked her as they left the hospital later that day.<p>

"I already told you I don't know," Anna said impatiently, "Look, it's probably nothing. Ethel left him with no choice. It would be impolite to say he didn't want any company."

"But she said he looked 'appy to be going out with you," Daisy said with a confused look.

"He looked fairly normal to me," Anna said, "Anyway, he said he'd call me tonight to arrange the details. But it's probably nothing."

"You should hope for a fine weather, that is. It'd be mental to go there on a rainy day," Gwen said, "If he picks you up it's a date. If he doesn't, it's not."

"We'll see about that."

They parted ways and he called her not long after that, true to his word.

They agreed on a time and both hoped for a fine day – it was a fast conversation and a mildly embarrassing one, but he seemed incredibly sweet and even a little nervous. When they were almost finished, he asked if he could pick her up.

Anna said yes.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed and read the first chapter! Also, on a side note, I've never been to Scarborough, so I apologise if there's any incorrect information. This chapter is a bit shorter than the first one, but Chapter Three is fairly longer. I'll try to post it by the end of the week. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Have a nice week!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

After having barely slept through the night, wondering why she was doing this to herself, Anna woke up to see a cloudy Sunday day outside her bedroom window. The weather wasn't exactly perfect – they were in the middle of March and it was still very cold outside – but she hoped it wouldn't rain.

She nervously got ready and John picked her up right in time; they talked, and she found out he was awfully, almost impossibly nice. And funny too – he had a nice sense of humour and opened up himself a bit; told her about his job, about how his love for history and a long-time friendship with Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, got him a job at Grantham Corporations, and about how he became the director of the renovation process in North Yorkshire.

They visited the Scarborough Castle, where Anna told him stories about ghosts and battles; he seemed interested, but later admitted he had looked for information about the castle and knew basic information; he did assure her that her stories were interesting and that he knew nothing of them.

They left the castle and went to a little cafe in front of the beach that Anna recommended; he teased her about being a nurse, a cashier and a very good tour guide. She found out she loved his comments – and when he was quiet she found herself wondering what got him that thoughtful look on his face.

After that, they went for a stroll on the south beach, which was considerably empty, even for a winter day, with only some couples and a few kids playing football ahead of them.

"It's a shame there isn't any event in the castle," Anna commented as they walked side by side, "You should visit during the summer. It's full of people, but the enactments are generally good."

"I might just do that," he said, "With the number of works we're doing in this area, Scarborough will be my home for the next months."

"Well, here's hope we can become interesting, then," Anna teased him and he smiled, "Wouldn't you miss York?"

"Not really, no," he told her sincerely, "There's nothing that binds me to York. I can work easily from here – it's even better, actually. And I've always liked quieter cities."

They walked a little longer and then stopped to admire the view; it was still cloudy and it seemed they could be expecting a misty evening.

"I usually avoid this beach during the summer," Anna told him, "I prefer the other one. It's been a while since I came here, actually."

"Well, with your multiple jobs, I'm surprised you agreed to come here with me today," he told her with a glint on his eyes. She laughed softly and he joined her, but soon sobered up, "I must say I'm happy to have such an amazing company. Your friend did me a great favour by telling you to show me around."

"I'm happy to be here, too. But don't tell that to Ethel," Anna smiled.

"I won't, don't worry. I just hope you didn't feel like this was an obligation."

"An obligation?" Anna repeated, "Not at all. I am where I want to be, believe me."

"Well, that's a relief," John said with a smile, "I've wanted to ask you out ever since that night in the corner shop, but I was sure a woman like you was already taken."

"I can say the same about you," she teased him, "I guess we can become too focused on other things and forget a bit about personal life."

He nodded slowly and averted her look to stare at the ocean. The air was becoming chillier and the wind was a bit stronger. Anna took a lock of hair off her face absentmindedly. Perhaps it would rain, after all.

"Do you like being a nurse?" he asked her softly.

Anna nodded, "I love it. Wouldn't change it for anything, I think. Do you like working with renovations?"

"Of course," he answered quickly, "Robert gave me a wonderful opportunity and I couldn't wish for anything better. I like history and I like to know other places. It's a perfect arrangement."

"And they say fifty percent of people are unhappy with their jobs," Anna shook her head, "If it were between us, we'd reach a hundred."

He smiled as he watched her while she looked at the bay.

"My grandfather used to say that if you come just before sunrise, you can't really see where the sky starts and the sea ends. Of course, he never considered mist around the beach."

"No line on the horizon."

"Grandpa had a thing for poetry, as you've probably realised," Anna explained, looking from the sea to him, "Still, it's a beautiful sight."

"It is," he said, and Anna realised for the first time that they were standing very close together. She looked up at him, and she was sure he leaned down a bit – he was so much taller than her – until she felt a strange impact on her leg and lost balance, breaking the spell, her face meeting his chest in a not so pleasing way.

"Sorry, ma'am!" a boy yelled a few yards away with a ball on his hands already.

Anna laughed, and John's hands were on her shoulders to keep her up, and he appeared slightly amused at the scene.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he joined her in laughter.

"I feel perfectly fine; don't worry," Anna made a face, "Kids will be kids. Can you blame them?"

"Of course I can. They just hit you, after all," John told her, "But I've had my fair share of hitting pretty women accidentally while playing when I was a boy."

They talked of their childhood then, but it was growing dark and Anna would be needed at work soon.

On the way to her place, she truly couldn't remember having a more pleasant date – if that's what this was – and she admitted being surprised by the result of it.

Thick raindrops started to fall from the sky as soon as they reached the front of her building.

"I'm sorry for having to cut the day short," she told him, briefly wondering if she would manage to get into the hospital in thirty minutes.

"Don't be. We've had a lovely day, and I'm glad you managed to go out with me today," John told her, turning off the car, "And, well... I hope we'll have more opportunities to see more of each other. Out of the hospital and the corner shop, of course."

"Of course," Anna agreed, laughing softly, "I'd invite you in, but..."

"I understand," he interrupted her, bringing his hand to her cheek.

He leaned closer to her, their breaths mingling, but he turned his head and gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek.

She smiled sheepishly, trying not to look disappointed, but thinking that maybe, after all this time, it'd be nice to go slow.

"Well, I'll be going then," she said animatedly, "This was really lovely. Thanks for everything."

He made to go out to open the door for her, but the rain was thickening and she throughout refused, telling him to stay in the car.

She left without another word, thinking about their awkward parting as she ran towards the building's entrance. She rummaged through her purse to find her keys, and when she finally got them, she heard her name.

She turned around just in time to see John stepping closer to her, and barely had time to think when he leaned down and kissed her lips softly. She stood on her tiptoes, her free hand encircling his neck as he deepened the kiss and his hands found her waist.

They pulled apart after a few moments, and Anna shivered slightly – maybe it was from the sudden lack of contact or perhaps it was just from the cold rain. They shared a nervous but happy smile before he spoke.

"I'll call you tomorrow," he said quietly before giving him yet another soft kiss.

She nodded and watched as he left; feeling suddenly very cold, she opened the door to her building with a huge smile on her face, not caring the least if she looked like a drained cat.

* * *

><p>"Oh, good, there you are!" Gwen said loudly, and Anna jumped at the sound of her voice.<p>

"Are you trying to kill me or, worse, kill Mrs. Taylor?" Anna told her, mentioning the sleeping older woman in the bed.

"She's sedated, she won't wake up even if someone bombarded the hospital," Gwen retorted, walking closer to Anna, "I haven't seen you in two days. There's something I need to talk about."

"What is it?"

"It's about Daisy."

"Daisy?" Anna repeated, "Whatever is the matter?"

"It's just... Well, she's been spending time with William Mason. As in out of the job time," Gwen explained, "She reads to him and yesterday her shift was more than over when I came in and she was still there. I just think we should watch them."

"Well, it doesn't seem like Daisy to get involved with patients. That's Ethel's thing," Anna told her, and Gwen nodded, both of them thinking of the affair Ethel had with a patient – one that resulted on a little boy who was now 2 years-old. "Anyway, I'll keep an eye on her."

Gwen made to leave, but then stopped when she reached the doorway. She turned to Anna with an amused smile on her face.

"I just remembered! How did your date go?"

Anna softened up and smiled, "It was great. He's just so... nice, you know?"

"Well, I'm glad. What did you do?"

"Well, we went to the castle, had tea, and took a stroll around the beach," Anna said, looking at the door for any sign of someone coming in, "It was just so lovely. We talked a lot, and I had a lovely time. I don't remember having a better first date in my life."

"Now I'm impressed," Gwen said with a smile, "Did you kiss?"

Anna nodded and looked up at Gwen with a smile on her face, "Yeah, when he left me home. He's just... He doesn't push anything, you know? It's like he knows exactly what to say, exactly what to do."

"Are you seeing him again?"

"On Friday," Anna nodded, "We're going out to dinner."

"That's fancy," Gwen said, "He seems like a nice man, and you seem to like him. _A lot_."

Gwen stared at her pointedly and Anna shrugged.

"I do like him," she said thoughtfully, "and that's precisely the problem, isn't it?"

"Only if you see it that way. Just... be careful, that's all," Gwen said, "Who knows, we might be talking about the father of your children."

Anna laughed, "That's a bit far off, isn't it?"

"I don't know. Is it?"

Anna stopped and looked at Gwen's expectant face.

"Of course it is. I can't love him after just one date," Anna laughed, "Come on, back to work you go. I'll see you later."

Anna shook her head as Gwen left. One date and she was head over heels for a bloke? Not a chance.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Again, I tell you I've never been to Scarborough; I did some online reasearch, but my main source is a friend who lived there for six months last year - sorry if I made a mistake or two! I was going to post this later this week; I wasn't very happy with the date part, but I can't do better than that, so... I hope you like it! I _know_ rain is such a cliché, but I couldn't help myself. I'd love to know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

****A/N: ****I decided to be nice and submit a longer chapter for the weekend, with a bonus: there are two dates in it - or maybe one and a half. Hope you'll like it!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

If Anna thought their first date had been great, she didn't know how to categorise the second. It was comfortable to talk to him, to know him as they got more familiar towards each other.

He took her to an Italian restaurant, CoGoni's, and she truly couldn't have expected a better date – the food was delicious and the company was perfect.

He asked about her week and how it was to work at the hospital; Anna proceeded to tell him some funny – and rather unique – stories about the time she worked at the A&E department, and he seemed keen to know everything he could about her, asking questions and appearing to be interested.

"My cousin used to want to be a nurse, when we were young," he mentioned, "which was curious, because she couldn't stand the sight of blood. We found out later that she only wanted to be a nurse in order to marry a doctor."

Anna laughed, "What did she do, then?"

"Oh, in the end she married a dentist, which is the next best thing, according to her."

"It might be," Anna said, "As a nurse, I can't say. Never dated a doctor or a dentist. But I could ask one of my friends."

"Don't bother. Although I'm surprised to hear you've never dated a doctor," he said, and Anna smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I was in a long-term relationship when I started working as a nurse," she explained, "By the time I became single, I knew all about the stories of doctors and nurses and how it hardly worked. Somehow, hospitals don't seem like a good environment to have a relationship with a co-worker."

"And for that I'm glad," he told her with a smile that Anna returned.

He talked some more about his job, about how he came to visit some towns around Scarborough and was starting to feel like home. Anna always liked history and was interested to hear more, since he seemed to love it so much.

"I saw this little pub on the way to Whitby yesterday," he said, "It just seemed very ancient and nice. It's amazing what you can find on the countryside."

"I already told you, John," Anna teased him, "You underestimate us."

"Not at all, my dear," he said, "I thought about going there with you sometime soon. I've been told they have a great steak in there."

Anna laughed softly at his tone, and she wasn't quite what made her giddier – the term of endearment or the fact that he was already thinking of another date.

She asked him about his plans for Scarborough – deep inside, she felt a bit nervous about the fact that he didn't actually live here. Work brought him to the city, and she knew he lived in York, miles from her. She didn't trust herself to think much further into their so young relationship, but it seemed like a natural thing to know; what future could they have if he left for another city in the near future?

But after a rather long explanation about the company's plans for the area and his own arrangements, he finally came to a conclusion.

"I'm going to York first thing in the morning," he told her, "to get the rest of my things. It seems that you've convinced me to stay."

Anna smiled broadly at that.

He walked her to her building's door, this time properly, after opening the car's door to her and holding hands until she stopped walking.

"This was... lovely," John said with a smile, "I think I better start looking for other adjectives. I just had the best dinner in the company of a beautiful woman and the only word I can think of is 'lovely'."

Anna laughed softly, "I had a lovely time too. Lovely is good, don't worry."

"No, in this case, lovely is the best," he told her and brought up her right hand to his lips.

With the advantage of high heels this time, Anna brought her free hand to caress his cheek and he leaned down slightly, dropping her hand and moving his own to her waist. He kissed her then, a slow, cherished kiss, and Anna found herself so weak in the knees that she had both hands holding his shoulders for a bit of support. He deepened the kiss, his hands moving to her hips as one of her hands stroked the back of his neck, right near his hairline.

They parted after a few moments, keeping their faces a few inches apart.

"Do you want to come up?" she asked him quietly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

If he was surprised, he didn't show it.

"I do," he said, "but I think we should save this for another time. Alright?"

Anna nodded quickly, trying not to look disappointed. "Yeah, sure."

He kissed her again, softer this time, and Anna melted into his kiss once more. They slowed up a bit, savouring the moment before finally breaking apart. He pushed a lock of her hair off her face, behind her ear, and kissed her hairline.

"Are you working this Sunday?"

"No," Anna answered, shivering slightly with the chilly night air.

"I'll try to get everything from York until Sunday," he said, "and then maybe we could check that pub out. What do you say?"

She pulled away from his embrace to look at him and smiled, "I'm in. Have a safe trip tomorrow, and call me when you get back."

"I will."

And with a final peck on the lips Anna walked away to the building's entrance. When she turned around to close the door, he was still there, watching her. She waved at him and he responded, only leaving when the door closed.

Gwen was right. She needed to be careful, because she was in real danger of falling for John Bates.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Anna, thanks for coming earlier," Gail said as Anna walked into her house. "I'm about to kill Steve. I'm serious, you know. I have a bunch of kitchen knives within my reach, and I know how to use them."<p>

"It's fine, Gail," Anna said, "What did Steve do?"

"What did Steve do? I'll tell you what your brother-in-law did! He invited twenty people here today. Twenty, and I'm not counting the children!" Gail complained as Anna followed her around the house. "It's like he ignores the fact that I had a c-section less than three weeks ago!"

"I'm sure he didn't think of it that way. He thought it would be nice to celebrate your birthday," Anna tried to calm her down as they reached the kitchen, "Where is him, by the way?"

"Buying some beer, of course. _That_ is something he doesn't mind doing!"

Anna tried hard not to laugh at Gail's mood, and decided it was time to do something. "Alright, what do you want me to do?"

"If you checked on the kids while I finish dinner would be great," Gail said, already resuming her tasks at the stove. "I haven't heard anything from Maya for the last fifteen minutes, which means she's plotting something."

Anna smiled, "I'm on it."

Anna found Maya, Gail's nearly three year-old daughter, drawing with crayons – except she wasn't using papers, she was using the upstairs' hall's wall. With a quick reprimand and water, she managed to take out most of it before Gail saw anything, and sent Maya to her play area in the living room.

After seeing that Oliver was well and asleep, Anna took a look at Maya, who was now watching cartoons, and went to the kitchen to see how Gail was doing.

"Anna, thanks for coming, really," Gail said sincerely, "I'd have asked Mum, but she and Dad went to Selby earlier today and will probably be a little late for dinner."

"No problem, Gail."

"I'm sorry for being so moody. It's been challenging, that's all," she said, shaking her head. "How have you been? I barely spoke to you this week."

"I'm fine. Sorry I didn't come to visit, but I imagine you've been having lots of visitors to meet Oliver," Anna said.

Gail turned to look at her and shook her head once again.

"Tell me about it. When you have children, be sure to tell everyone you don't want visitors for at least a month. Blame it on the child," Gail told her. Then, with a wicked smile, she spoke again. "I have something to cheer you up. Steve invited this new lad from work. He's really charming, I think you'll like him."

"Gail, I..."

"I know, I know it's annoying to have people setting you up with a stranger, but who knows? I met Steve that way. Not that I'm very happy with him in the moment," Gail rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I promise he isn't one of those weird men who are at least sixty that Mum keeps talking about."

Anna sighed. "Gail, thank you, but I'm really not interested."

Gail laughed. "Why? Don't tell me you got yourself a boyfriend!"

"What? No, I don't have a boyfriend," Anna made a face, "I'm just... Well, I met someone and we're getting to know each other, and I really don't want to be pushed to another man today."

Her sister stopped what she was doing immediately and gaped at her. "You're not joking, are you? You're not doing this to keep me from playing annoying older sister?"

"I wouldn't do that!" Anna exclaimed, but Gail remained serious. "Fine, I might have done that before, but I'm serious now. I'm... well, sort of seeing someone."

"Shut up! Who is he?"

"Nobody you know," Anna teased, and then turned serious, "His name is John, and that's all you're getting from me. We just went out twice, I don't want to jinx it!"

Gail made a face.

"And don't tell Mum, alright?" Anna asked her. "She'd bombard me with questions I don't want to answer."

"Fine. Good luck with him. Let me know when I can ask some questions," Gail teased her.

Anna only smiled, "I will, don't worry."

* * *

><p>Sitting side by side with John Bates in a little pub nearby Whitby, Anna couldn't tell if he was even nicer than normal or if she was just too tipsy to care.<p>

He called her by the end of the afternoon, asking if she felt like going out – the day was a particularly dreary one; it was raining and the sky was grey, and, it being Anna's day off, she spent it sleeping in the morning and cleaning the flat during the afternoon.

So that's why she found herself enjoying a nice meal with him tonight; their conversations rarely ceased and for the first time in a few years she felt truly comfortable with someone.

"I don't believe it," Anna said, shaking her head. He arched his eyebrows. "Nope. Won't believe it until I see it."

He raised his hands in mock surrender and gave a soft laugh.

"Fine. I'll show I can cook," he said, "As soon as I can get my kitchen working properly, I'll cook you a true Irish meal."

"An Irish meal? Now that's something I want to see," Anna said with a smile, "Really, what more can you do? You're hard-working, smart and, _apparently_, able to cook. It's hard to believe, really."

"Harder for me to believe that you think so highly of me," he said and Anna was sure she blushed.

"Well," Anna started, looking around them; it was getting late and few people remained on the pub. "would I be here if I didn't?"

He leaned down and kissed her sweetly, but they were interrupted by the irritating noise of a phone ringing.

They pulled away, and he gave an annoyed sigh as he picked his cell phone from his pocket. She took a sip of her drink, giving him some privacy, and he put the phone back in his pocket, apparently refusing to take the call.

"What? I can refuse calls on Sundays," he said at her questioning look and moved his hand to caress her cheek. "I can't help but wonder how I managed to get you here with me, Anna."

"Ethel told me you have an incurable illness. I'm just doing this to give some happiness to a dying man," Anna explained quietly. He was unsure for a moment, so Anna laughed. "I'm kidding. You got me here because I like you. You can be very likeable, you know?"

"Can I?" he asked, staring at her intently.

Just as she moved to kiss him, his phone went off again. this time, he wasn't the only one to sigh, and Anna again took a sip of her drink while he picked up the offending object.

"This will be just a second," he said apologetically, and Anna nodded.

He left the table and went to answer the phone elsewhere, all the while Anna wondered why he'd be so sought on a Sunday night. Of course, he was an important person to the company – but as far as Anna knew, they only worked on weekdays.

A minute later he returned, a bewildered look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Anna. Apparently the rest of my boxes arrived from York and they're filling up the building's hall," he said hurriedly, sitting down next to her. "Will it be a problem if we finished this drinks and left?"

Anna shook her head, not reading much into the reason, "No problem. I was just finishing mine, anyway."

They left shortly after that, going back to Scarborough as quick as they could, and despite her protests, he left the car to open the door to her. They shared a somewhat long kiss, but he excused himself and apologised for cutting their date short.

Anna was left a bit confused about everything, but put weird thoughts away; moving could be a tiring, procrastinating thing, and she understood his reasons. He promised to call her as soon as possible and she accepted that.

She went up to her flat, made sure Boris had enough food in his bowl and read a bit before retiring to bed; before she turned the lights out, she looked at her own cell phone to find a text from him.

_Looking forward to our next date already. Sweet dreams. X_

She slept with a smile on her face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Really hope you enjoyed the chapter - let me know what you think! On a side note, the restaurant Anna and John went to on their second date, CoGoni's, is actually real; I know from a reliable source that it's a romantic place with great food, so I thought it would be nice for them. ;) Have a nice Friday/weekend!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Gwen, you can go back inside. I'll stay here with Mr. Hill," Anna said, and Gwen left after exchanging a smile with Anna. Mr. Hill looked at her quizzically.

"She told me you were on break time," he said, and Anna handed him a small box and a spoon. "And you brought contraband!"

"Don't get too excited, Arthur, it's not much," she said as he opened the box to reveal ice cream.

Arthur Hill was a patient at the hospital for as long as Anna could remember; at seventy-nine years old, he was always coming and going, due to several reasons, but he was a nice man. Some nurses argued that he was too stubborn, and often complained about how he had preferences on the staff. It was no secret that he liked Anna, and Anna couldn't help but like him. The first time they met, he wanted to introduce her to his son, and after realising neither Anna nor his son were interested, he regularly asked her to marry him, as a joke, saying that she reminded him of his late wife.

"No chocolate? I thought you knew me, Anna," Arthur said, shaking his head but already filling the spoon with ice cream.

"You know you should go slowly," Anna warned him sternly and he rolled his eyes.

She moved over to the wheelchair and they walked around the pavement of the hospital, enjoying the fresh air.

"How can I be happy when I can't eat what I want?" he asked her, and Anna laughed softly.

"Come on, the food is not that bad around here," Anna said with a smile, "Ever tried the one they serve in Whitby?"

"Absolutely disgusting!" Arthur agreed vehemently. "You're right, Anna, as always. I shouldn't complain."

"Cheer up. I know from a trustful source that you're to be discharged tomorrow," Anna said in a quiet voice, "Any plans for your first day out?"

"Louis will pick me up, he insisted. We'll probably do something dull thereafter. Watch TV or something. You know how Louis is dull," Arthur shook his head as he talked of his son. "I might invite Doris to that bingo game next week. What do you think?"

"I think you should, even though I'll be feeling left out," Anna joked, and Arthur laughed.

Anna stopped suddenly and in mid-laugh as she spotted a figure walking over to them; recovering from her surprise, she grinned to herself and continued walking with Mr. Hill until she came to stop in front of John.

He was neatly dressed, much like the day they first met, since it was a weekday; he looked a bit uncertain at Mr. Hill, but smiled when he met Anna's eyes. She smiled back, pleased to see him.

"I'm sorry. Gwen told me you were on break time," he started uncertainly.

"I am. I'm just walking around with Mr. Hill," Anna said a bit nervously. "Mr. Hill, this is my friend John."

"I've seen him around, I'm practically living in this hospital," Mr. Hill murmured, shaking John's hand. "I'm heading back now, better give the young some privacy."

"Do you want me to take you there?" Anna asked promptly, but Mr. Hill shook his head.

"I've been replaced by a younger lad. I need to be alone for a minute," he mocked her. "Now I get why you never wanted to marry me. You like tall men."

Anna shook her head and smiled as she watched Mr. Hill leave and get inside the hospital safely.

"Should I be worried about what he said about you refusing to marry him?" John asked in an amused tone.

"Of course not. I refused, remember?"

John turned to look at her with a grin; he looked around for a moment before leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on the lips, taking her by surprise.

"You look beautiful today," he said after pulling away.

Anna blushed slightly and smiled at him, "You look pretty dashing yourself. Did you come to visit William?"

"I'm afraid not. I came to see you," he admitted in a quiet voice, "Of course, I'll stop by to see William. But I came to see you. Did you get the flowers this morning?"

Anna smiled, remembering the small bouquet of yellow roses she received just before she left for work.

"I did. They're gorgeous, thank you," she said sincerely, "Did you manage to settle into the new flat?"

"Just barely," he laughed a little nervously. "Actually, that's part of what I want to talk about. I'm sorry about the way our last outing ended, so I thought I could make it up to you by making you dinner."

Anna's stomach fluttered in a pleasant away.

"Just... there are some things I'd like to talk to you about," he explained, "in private. And I still need to prove that I can cook an enjoyable meal."

Anna smiled at that. "That's true. Well, it sounds good to me. When will that be?"

"Friday, maybe? That will give me time to prepare," he said in a worried tone, "The meal must be perfect."

Anna grinned, "I hope it will be. Friday is fine."

_And a long way from Tuesday, _Anna thought bitterly, but perhaps John was too busy during the week; just as she thought this, however, he spoke again.

"What time do you leave today?"

"Noon," Anna answered, "Why?"

"I need to go to Kirbymoorside in the afternoon, to see a few houses," he said, "It should be quick, but I thought I might see a bit of the town. Would you like to go?"

"Um... sure. I don't have any plans for today," Anna said, "But won't I disturb your work? I don't want to be a bother."

"I'm inviting you to come with me. You must be a terrible bother," he said mockingly, and Anna gave him a soft smack on the shoulder, "I need to get going. I'll pick you up at three, is that alright?"

"It's perfect," Anna said with a smile. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I'll see you later."

* * *

><p>Their afternoon in Kirbymoorside was nothing but lovely, and they saw a lot of each other during the week; they went to the movies, went to a pub and even managed to have lunch together on Wednesday. Despite all of that, their growing relationship was still somewhat stagnant, and Anna was especially looking forward to Friday night.<p>

"Anyone wants to go out tonight?" Gwen asked as the end of their shift approached.

"Ugh, I can't," Ethel groaned, "I have no one to stay with Charlie tonight. Unless you want to babysit him for me?"

Gwen made a face, but Ethel grinned.

"I'm a bit short on the money, but I'm in," Daisy said excitedly, "What about you, Anna?"

"I'm sorry, I'll have to pass this one," Anna said.

"Why?" Ethel asked, "Don't tell me you're going out with nice, tall and rich bloke again?"

"I don't know if he's rich," Anna rolled her eyes.

"Way to go, Anna!" Ethel said with a smile, "Nice catch. Didn't know you were still seeing him."

"Do you know where he lives?" Gwen asked her.

"Well, he's..."

"Wait a minute. You're going to his place tonight?" Ethel asked, looking from Gwen to Anna. "Now that's serious. Didn't know you had it in you, Anna. It's been what, two weeks?"

"Three."

"Is he any good? He looks like he is."

Anna frowned, "What do you mean?"

"In bed, Anna."

"Oh," Anna said, slightly embarrassed, "well, I wouldn't know. We haven't... you know."

"No kidding!" Ethel said, obviously amused. "Well, then tonight's the night, I'm telling you. Invite you to the place, then to bed. Classic move. Be sure to put on some nice knickers."

Anna rolled her eyes, amused.

"Not all men are the same, Ethel. From what Anna says, John is a gentleman," Gwen defended.

"They all look like gentlemen," Ethel said, "Go prepared, Anna. I know I would."

"Or maybe not," Gwen said quietly, but Ethel didn't hear her.

Anna went back to her tasks; she wouldn't admit that to Ethel, but she hoped she was right.

* * *

><p>When John opened the door to his flat with a smile on his face and a kiss on her lips, Anna was convinced her nervousness was silly; they had been out together for so many times, and she felt so comfortable around him she was sure nothing could wrong tonight.<p>

Everything was nearly ready when she arrived; she noticed his flat was a bit empty, and she supposed he didn't have enough time to get everything on its place yet. His flat was much bigger than hers, from what she could see, but perhaps that was because of all the vacant room. Still, everything looked neat and clean; the kitchen, however, seemed to be complete, as well as the dining room. The living room was big and still had a few boxes around; he apologised for that but she didn't mind at all –it made her happy to see him here, apparently taking a permanent residence near her.

He thoroughly refused to have her helping him on anything, and insisted their dinner was almost ready. Indeed, it was – he poured her some wine and cooked her steak and Guinness pie – his mother's recipe.

She praised his cooking skills and teased him about it; he even seemed to blush a little at her compliments, and that made him even more endearing than ever. He later admitted he didn't know how to do nearly anything else, but the pie was something of a specialty of his. After much insistence on her part, they cleaned everything together, stealing kisses and touches all the while.

Afterwards, he sent her to the living room, where she occupied herself by looking at the books on his shelves; only one shelf was filled with books, as it was obvious he didn't have enough time to arrange them all, and she suspected the content on those boxes were books.

He came back a minute later and walked towards her, sliding his arms around her waist from behind her. He kissed her temple and Anna smiled to herself, her own fingers lacing through his on her stomach.

"So," she started quietly, "now I know you're a good cook and you like good literature. Any more revelations tonight?"

Her tone was light and playful, but when he didn't respond her immediately she turned around in his arms, moving her arms to his neck and lacing her hands together behind it; he seemed nervous, and his hands squeezed her waist so very softly, as if making sure she was really there. They shared a look and she kissed him lightly. He responded a bit weakly, though she didn't know why; they had such a lovely evening, why would he feel nervous now?

He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply just as she began to lose her confidence a little. Her hand moved to his hair, and she marvelled on how soft it was. Just as she was beginning to get lost on their kiss, however, he pulled away.

"This is not why I invited you here," he said a bit awkwardly, stepping away from her embrace and walking towards the large windows of the living room, his back to her. "I'm sorry, Anna, I... I need to tell you something. Before this gets any further."

She was tempted to make a playful retort, but he turned to look at her then, his expression serious and stiff. She swallowed hard, not quite sure about what was going on, but despite everything his eyes remained soft and loving.

"We should sit down," he managed to say, running his fingers through his hair in a frustrated manner.

Anna accepted his suggestion and took a sit beside him on the comfortable couch. Unsure of what to do, she waited for him to speak.

"There's no other way to tell you this, but it's best you know from than from anyone else," he started, sighing. "I wasn't honest with you, Anna. I asked you out, and I had no right to do so."

Anna's eyes widened slightly at his words and the reasons behind it; millions of things passed through her mind, but she remained calm and composed, waiting for him to speak again. His words were not what she had been expecting.

"I'm married, Anna."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I was going to post this later this week, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to do so, so I decided to not keep anyone interested waiting.

So now we know what was troubling John! Or do we? Don't worry, his status will be properly explained in chapter six. As always, reviews are very much appreciated! Have a great week, and thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

He was married. John Bates was married.

And suddenly realisation hit Anna – that was why he never talked of previous relationships, the reason behind the weird phone calls in the past days. And she felt – she didn't know what she felt about it. Disappointment, anger – more at herself than at him – and maybe even sorrow? She was in a bit of a shock, she was sure of that, and she truly didn't know what to say.

"I... you're married?" Anna asked incredulously. "You have a wife?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. At least legally," he told her quietly, "We've been separated for years, and we have a divorce process going on for a few months, but it doesn't look like it'll be finished anytime soon. In the eyes of the government, I'm still married."

Anna nodded, deep in thought.

"A month ago, my lawyer told me everything was sorted. That it would be over – that I would be free," he explained. "When I came here and I met you, I considered myself lucky. It felt like a fresh start. But as it turned out, it's not over."

"She... She's been the one calling you, isn't she?" Anna asked weakly.

"Most of the time, yes. I'm sorry for lying, you deserved to know the truth from the start," he said bitterly, staring ahead. "I have a meeting tomorrow in York, with her and our lawyers, and it's the last time I'll try to end things amicably, so to speak. It's unlikely that this will turn out favourable, in my opinion."

He turned to look at her, his voice soft.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Anna. This is not... I'm not who you're supposed to be with. I understand that this changes everything."

_And it does_, Anna thought. _It does change everything._

She felt a bit breathless, a bit crowded, and she didn't know exactly why. Anna blinked heavily, fighting the tears away as reality began to sink in.

_He's married_.

"I am... I need to think all this through," the words choked on her throat, but they were incredibly soft even to her own ears. She stood up awkwardly and he did the same.

"I'll take you home," he said promptly, but Anna was already shaking her head.

"No, I'll walk home. It's only a ten minutes walk," she said quietly.

"Just... let me know you got home safely, okay?"

"Alright," she nodded as they walked to his door; he opened it and stared a bit sadly at her. She gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek and walked out. "Good luck tomorrow."

He smiled weakly at her and she walked to the lift without looking back.

* * *

><p>"He's <em>married<em>?" Gail asked as she served Anna some tea. "Oh, Anna. I'm sorry. How did you find out?"

Anna sighed; her thoughts were only on him for the past two days – and his revelation, of course. She couldn't really make her mind around it – it shouldn't matter that much, should it? They weren't planning on getting married; they were only getting to know each other. But still, how could she be sure he was telling the truth?

After arriving home on Friday, she texted him, to let him know she was alright. He sent her a sweet text wishing her a good night, and she didn't hear from him since then. He was giving her time, she knew that; perhaps he was even expecting not to hear from her again.

Saturday was spent brooding; Anna ignored Ethel's texts asking about her night and she couldn't find the will to go out. She tried watching TV or reading, but nothing could hold her concentration for much time. On Sunday, she had had enough. She needed to talk to someone, because she was truly at a loss.

She went to Gail's place, happy to see that Steve and Maya went to the funfair and it was only Gail and the baby in the house.

"He told me," Anna answered her and Gail frowned. "He invited me over on Friday and told me. Said they've been separated for years, but only now were getting a divorce. Apparently, they can't reach a conclusion and he thinks the process will last a long time."

"I see," Gail said, sipping her tea. "Do you think he's telling you the truth?"

Anna took a moment to think and finally nodded. "I do. He has no reason to lie, has he? He was the one who told me about his marriage. I didn't find out and demanded explanations," she sighed. "A man who takes me to fancy dinners, nice places and gives me flowers and treats me like a gentleman doesn't seem to want a fling. I just don't know what to make of this. If he's indeed divorcing, then I don't see a problem. I mean, I don't want to _marry _him."

Gail eyed her suspiciously and Anna looked at her impatiently.

"Gail, please help me out," Anna pleaded, "I know one should never date a married man, but is this really the case? What do you think?"

"It's not up to me, Anna. Do you fancy him so much that you wouldn't care for his status?"

"Well, I do like him."

Gail gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Well, what I'm saying is that I don't know John and you do. You're the one involved, and you should make your own decision," Gail said simply. "What I can tell you is that you've been happy these past few weeks – giddy even. And today you look like hell."

Anna laughed softly, "Thanks."

"Just think about it carefully," her sister told her, "Remember you might have to introduce him to us sometime and it wouldn't be good to see Dad's reaction to him being married."

"Can you be more contradictory, please?" Anna teased her, "I'm serious, I think I'm even more confused now than I was before I came here."

Gail was about to say something when the distinct noise of a cry erupted from the baby monitor on the coffee table; Oliver was awake. Gail excused herself and left Anna to her thoughts.

* * *

><p>"Will you keep seeing him, then?" Gwen asked her on the following day as they walked together to the nurses' station.<p>

When she arrived that day, Gwen, Ethel and Daisy came to her almost immediately, trying to find out what happened on Friday night. Anna seriously wasn't on the mood and changed the topic of conversation; Gwen, being the closest to her, of course understood the message, and Anna later told her, in short, about what happened.

"I'm not sure. I just... I need to talk to him. Sort everything out," Anna explained.

Gwen nodded silently, the subject closed – at least for now. Ethel eyed them suspiciously before speaking.

"You just missed your fancy man, Anna," she said, and Anna could feel Gwen's eyes were on her too; so much for discretion.

"Oh," Anna managed to say, "did I?"

"I think he came to see William, since he's going home tomorrow. But he didn't even stop to say hi," Ethel said, "You two seem to be in the same mood."

Anna gave her a weak smile, "Thanks, Ethel."

* * *

><p>Anna gave a nervous sigh when she saw him sitting almost in front of her; he hadn't seen her yet, but he seemed to be deep in thought – was it worry on his lines? –, but when he looked up and met her eyes, he softened up and grinned so very slightly. Still, that gave her confidence, and she felt herself shyly grinning back. She walked over to his table and sat down.<p>

She called him earlier that day, feeling that she couldn't postpone it any longer. She wanted to hear his voice and talk to him and laugh with him, even if it meant dating a married man; she didn't care, and she needed to tell him that. They arranged to meet at a little pub they went to last week.

They greeted a bit shyly and he stood up to get some drinks; soon enough he came back, drinks in hand, and sat down beside her.

"I didn't think you'd call me," he said softly as Anna sipped her drink. "How was your weekend?"

"It was fine. Quiet." Anna answered, shrugging. "How was yours?"

"Not very good, I'm afraid," he said sincerely, and Anna gave him a sympathetic smile.

"So I take it things didn't go well on Saturday."

"No, they didn't," he said bitterly, but gave her a sad smile, "but that was expected."

They exchanged a look and Anna breathed in deeply, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Tell me," she started a bit unsurely, "Tell me about her. Your relationship."

He sighed tiredly and sat back in his chair, watching her with curious eyes.

"There isn't much to know, really," he told her quietly, "We got married eleven years ago. We didn't date that much, so it was a very, very precipitated decision. It seemed like a good idea at the time," he laughed bitterly, "Things were never particularly good. The first two years were alright, but it was a downfall from there. Three years ago it became unbearable and I left home."

Anna suspected there was more to this story than just this but decided not to push; he didn't seem to be comfortable talking about it and she couldn't blame him.

"She was against the divorce, for some reason – still is, actually. Though I'm not sure why," he shrugged, "We spent months without talking to each other. I guess I felt guilty about our marriage's end, and I gave her time. When I approached her about the divorce, she didn't want to accept it. We've been trying to arrange some deal ever since, without having to go to court. She's been asking for things I can't give her. God knows how long it will take now."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Anna said, reaching for his hand on the table.

"I'm not saying she's completely unreasonable," he said, staring at their fingers intertwined, "I wasn't the best husband either. I guess we're both at fault for not working things out."

"How is she now?"

"Emotionally? I truly don't think she was ever alright on that sense," he laughed softly, and Anna even joined him, "But she's fine, I suppose. She doesn't care for me anymore, if that's what you're asking. She's just trying to get some substantial financial support."

They stayed in silence for a moment before he spoke again.

"Listen, Anna. I don't expect you to fully believe, but I was very honest with you," he said quietly, staring at her eyes, "I truly think this... what we have, could go somewhere. Even if there's no place for it to go at the moment. I understand if you don't want to see me anymore. You're a fine woman, and from what I've gathered so far, you have a high morality standard."

"I... I thought a lot about this. And I think this could actually work. Because I... I like you. Very much," Anna said, "I don't care if you're married or have a crazy wife. I care about you. And these past few weeks... You've made me very happy."

He moved his hand to her neck, to caress it ever so lightly.

"I don't deserve you, Anna."

"We'll see about that," she smiled, but turned serious as a thought crossed her mind. "Do you think... Could our relationship jeopardize the divorce process in any way? She could use this against you, couldn't she?"

"I've thought about this," John said, "She could try something, if she finds out about us, but she can't prove anything. We've been separated for years."

"Perhaps we could be a little more discreet," Anna suggested slowly, looking around the somewhat crowded pub around them, "I mean, if you want to."

"I can handle it, Anna. You're not my mistress, and I'm not hiding out. Not anymore, and certainly not to you." John said with a smile. "I had been wondering about how to get over you. I was sure you wouldn't call me."

"Then you don't know me enough," Anna teased him.

"And because of that I'm at a loss. I was falling so hard for you I was worried I wouldn't get over you at all," he leaned closer to her.

"Then there are two of us on that," Anna said, staring at his eyes, "But now I think I've already fallen for you. I just hadn't realised it yet."

"Well," he said with a glint in his eyes, "then it's a good thing the feeling is mutual."

They gazed at each other for a few moments, lost in words and each other's eyes, until Anna finally spoke.

"It's getting late," she said a bit nervously, "We should go."

He drove her back to her place in silence, and as usual he left his car to walk her to the front door; it didn't escape her notice that for the first time he locked the car before going to her; hand in hand, she turned to him, stepping closer. His hands found her waist and he pulled her even closer to him, for a long kiss.

Feeling slightly giddy, Anna pulled back with a smile on her face, keeping their faces close. She gave him another kiss, deeper this time, and when they parted she looked at him expectantly.

"Will you come in tonight?"

He hesitated a bit but nodded, giving her one more kiss that made her knees falter a bit. She gave him a bright smile and took his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Now we know more about John's marriage - but not everything, no. Really hope you enjoyed the chapter; tell me what did you think about it! Thanks for reading/reviewing!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The irritating noise of the alarm clock woke Anna from her sleep; jumping slightly at the noise, she blindly turned it off, cursing the offending object and, as she did many times, rested her head back on her pillow, enjoying the warmth and welcoming a new state of sleep.

She shook herself awake, though; if she did this, she'd be late for the bus and, therefore, for work. She had been feeling particularly comfortable, actually, but she tried to not give this much thought.

Just as she thought this, arms squeezed her waist very softly, and she smiled when she heard John's voice so close to her ear.

"Does that mean we need to wake up?"

Anna nodded sleepily, stifling a yawn and leaning against him, enjoying his warmth.

He kissed her neck and moved to pepper her face with gentle kisses as she turned in his arms, her eyes still closed, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. She moved her hands to his bare shoulders and stretched out her legs. He kissed her mouth then, a tender kiss, and she opened her eyes with a smile.

"Good morning," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Morning," Anna murmured, shifting closer to him, definitely not wanting to leave the bed anytime soon. Their first night together had been nothing but perfect; everything had gone exactly how Anna could have ever wanted. He had been so caring, so attentive – the perfect lover, in every sense of the word. The prospect of leaving bed and going to work had never been so sad. "Can we stay like this forever?"

"I wish we could," was his reply, and he pointed it out by kissing her deeply, a slow, loving kiss that left no hidden meaning to her.

His kisses trailed down to her neck and her shoulders, and she closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the moment.

"If you keep doing this I'll be late for work," Anna murmured.

John turned to her face then, his nose almost touching hers, and gave her a wolfish grin.

"I'll drive you to the hospital. We can spare a few minutes, can't we?"

Anna grinned, kissing him. "I suppose we can."

* * *

><p>Anna walked in a hurry to the nurses' station, pulling her hair into a ponytail and stopping by the desk. Gwen smiled curiously when she saw her.<p>

"Where have you been? It's not like you to be late," Gwen said as Anna picked up several files.

"I'm only... seven minutes late," Anna retorted, glancing at her watch. "I'll tell you later. Is William going home today, then?"

"Yeah. I know it's normally you who cares for him, but Dr. Tam asked Ethel and Daisy to help when he didn't see you," Gwen explained.

Anna nodded in understatement. "It's alright. I'll go for the rounds and if anyone needs me, you know how to find me."

Gwen nodded and Anna turned, just in time to almost bump into Ethel.

"Nice of you to show up!" she said in a playful tone.

Anna rolled her eyes with a smile, "I'm not that late."

"S'ppose not," Ethel agreed, looking intently at her, "You seem to be in a good mood, that's nice. Just saw your boyfriend, by the way. He's in a good mood too. He was even whistling."

Anna bit back a smile, merely arching her eyebrows and starting to walk away again, determined to not to say anything; John had left her nearby the other entrance, while he went to park the car near the main area, wanting to help William out.

"That's nice to hear," Anna told her with a smile, "I'll see you later."

Anna turned around and started to walk away, knowing Ethel was still looking at her but didn't turn around; she didn't miss their voices, though.

"Would you stop meddling, Ethel?" Gwen said in an annoyed tone.

"Alright, but I'm telling you," Ethel's voice was loud and clear, obviously not caring if Anna heard them, "They totally had sex."

They did, however, miss Anna's giggle when she turned the hall.

* * *

><p>Never in her life the days passed by so quickly. Anna and John talked to each other nearly every day, and made a point to try and stay together as much as they could; every day, she looked forward to the end of her shift, knowing there would be a missed call from him waiting for her, and perhaps they'd go out after that.<p>

A few weeks later, they were spending a nice Saturday evening at a pub in front of the harbour. Holding hands, they left the pub and started walking towards John's car when he mentioned the bright lights from Scarborough's funfair; Anna smiled fondly at the park, saying that it had been quite a long time since she went there.

Twenty minutes later, she found herself eating candyfloss and gazing at children playing and even adults having fun; the park wasn't very big and it wasn't very crowded, which made everything even better.

"Y'know, my first kiss happened on that Ferris wheel," Anna commented as they approached it.

John gave her an amused smile.

"Really?" he asked, "How was it?"

"Oh, it was awful," she said with a laugh, "Totally un-romantic and very awkward. I didn't run away because I was trapped until the ride came to an end."

"Well, we should try it, then," he said tentatively and Anna looked at him in disbelief, "Give you a nicer memory. Bet I can give you a better kiss."

Anna grinned, "Alright. But just because I _know_ you'll give me a better kiss."

And a better kiss it was – not that it was hard to beat Robbie MacDonald's kiss, of course. They sat in the car, watching the harbour's view from the top of the wheel, his arm around her shoulders, and after a moment he gave her a sweet, tender kiss and commented that she tasted like candyfloss.

* * *

><p>Anna walked around the crowded street and spotted her destination, crossing the street and entering the building. It was her first time at the Grantham Corporations' office, and although it was smaller than their headquarters, the place was beautifully decorated and even sophisticated; feeling a bit out of place, having just returned from work and wearing comfortable clothes, Anna walked over to the reception desk, but found out it was empty. She looked around the room, observing the expensive paintings and decoration, and another woman walked through the entrance; she had a distinct air about her, and gave a nod in Anna's direction, choosing to sit in one of the comfortable chairs instead of standing while waiting. Another door was opened, and a young woman in her early twenties appeared from it.<p>

"Hello, how can I help you?" she asked, looking at Anna.

"Hi," Anna said, "My name is Anna. I'm here to see John Bates."

The woman gave her a broad smile then.

"So _you_'re Mr. Bates' girlfriend! I'm Jessica, we've spoken on the phone before," Jessica said, obviously enthusiastic. "Nice to put a face on the name! You're lucky, he arrived not more than ten minutes ago."

Anna smiled, mildly embarrassed but happy to be addressed as John's girlfriend.

"If he's too busy, I can just give you..."

"Oh, nonsense, it's not a problem at all. I'll show you..." Jessica started, but looked at the other visitor with uncertainty.

"You can tell me where his office is. It won't take long, don't worry," Anna assured the young woman, who gave her the directions to find John's office.

Feeling a bit like an intruder, Anna walked around the halls until she found the right door, with John's name in it. She knocked before entering, and when she heard John's voice telling her to come in, she smiled. She opened it carefully, finding John behind his desk, his head down, obviously analysing several projects that were spread around the desk. When she closed the door, he looked up and, with a surprised look, smiled.

"Anna," he said, her name sounding sweet on his lips, "what a nice surprise!"

He stood up then, walking over to her and kissing her lips tenderly.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother," Anna said quickly, "I called you, but your phone is off. When I called the company, Jessica said you were out but would be arriving soon, so I decided to stop by."

"It's a pleasure, not a bother," he said, motioning for her to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk; instead of sitting back on his chair, however, he sat on the one next to her. "What brings you here?"

Anna smiled, opening her bag and fishing out a bunch of keys from it.

"You forgot your keys this morning," she said, handing the keys to him, "I was going to bring it to you before going to the hospital, but I was already late, so... here I am. What would you have done if you had no means to get into your flat?"

"Well, I'd have gone to your place, of course," he started, his eyes shining with mischief, "Thanks, Anna, you're an angel. I had no idea I didn't have them with me. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Well, I was actually planning on watching soaps," Anna admitted and John laughed softly. "Want to join me?"

"You know what? I do," he said with a smile.

"It's a date, then," she said, winking at him and standing up. "I should get going. Can't keep you from your work."

"I don't have much more to do," he said quickly, standing up too, "If you'd like to wait, say, half an hour, we can leave together."

"Don't worry. As much as I'd like to be with you, I don't want you to feel hurried," she said, "Plus, I'll get home earlier, have a much needed shower and prepare something for us. It's no problem."

He smiled then, his hand pulling her towards him, and he kissed her temple softly.

"I don't deserve you."

She glanced up at him with a disapproving look, but just as she opened her mouth to say something, the door was opened rather hastily, making them both look at it in surprise.

The woman who opened the door, the same woman who had been waiting at the entrance hall, was looking at them with a sassy air around her; Jessica, the secretary, was right behind her, her eyes pleading towards Anna and John.

"Mr. Bates, I'm so sorry, she just walked in and I..."

"Not your fault, Jessica, thanks," John managed to say before the secretary fled the room. He looked at the woman then, his eyes fierce. "What are you doing here?"

The woman was eyeing them with a strange smile on her face, and she walked around the room before sitting behind the desk in an outrageous manner. John moved to close the door, then crossed his arms in front of him, waiting for her to speak; Anna simply stood there, unsure of what to do, and stared at the woman.

"What, no introductions?" she looked at Anna, examining her from head to toe, "I already know who you are, darling. You're Anna, the girlfriend. Let me introduce myself," she said, gazing at her with intense blue eyes, "I'm Vera, the wife."

"You have no business here, Vera," John said sternly; Vera laughed.

"Of course I do. _You_'re my business," she stated, then shook her head, looking at Anna, "I was sure there had to be someone. These past few months trying to complete the divorce quickly. You've always been a patient man. Of course some bimbo had to be involved."

"Don't talk about Anna like that," John snapped.

"She's quite a trophy, I suppose. Young too," Vera said and Anna shifted uncomfortably, "How did you do it, John? Did you tell her all about the money? Or perhaps the houses?"

"Vera..." John said, dropping his hands to his side and obviously intending to go to her, but Anna's hand on his forearm stopped him.

"Don't worry, John. I'll just leave you two," Anna said quietly, ignoring the woman on the other end of the room.

"No, Anna, stay. Vera's on her way out. She has no business here whatsoever," John said, much calmer now, and Vera's smile turned into a frown; she stood up reluctantly and walked over to them. "Anything that needs to be discussed will be in front of our lawyers. No need to come all the way over here for this."

"Fine. I've seen enough," she said, glancing at Anna and turning to John again, "Don't worry, honey. I'm sure everyone will love to know about your... extra-marital affair. Including the judge."

In response, John stepped out and opened the door for her, closing as she passed it with one last glance to them. John rubbed his eyes tiredly, and Anna stared at him, still in a bit of a shock.

"I'm sorry about that. You shouldn't have to cope with this kind of things," he said finally.

"It's alright," Anna said a bit weakly, managing a smile. "She's very..."

"Completely mental? Yes, she is," John said, and Anna let out a soft laugh. He looked around the room and at the clock. "You know what? That's enough for today. I won't be able to work properly after that."

He walked to his desk, folding papers and straightening things up a bit, giving Anna time to think of the fast but not insignificant encounter with his wife. He looked stressed out, so different from the relaxed way he had spoken to her minutes before, and he still looked a bit tense.

"You know what? Forget the soaps. I know you hate them," Anna started, trying to cheer him up and walking over to him, behind the desk. "We'll just go back to mine, have a nice, long shower together, and then I'll make you a nice dinner."

He smiled at her, his hand tugging hers to make her stop in front of him.

"I definitely don't deserve you," he said, shaking his head. "But I think I have a better idea. I'll drive you to your flat, you get your things and come with me to my place. We never stay there anyway."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Anna grinned, arching her eyebrows suggestively at him, "You have a big tub."

He grinned back at her, and she could see he already looked more relaxed.

"You naughty girl."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Had a bit of a problem with this chapter so I'm posting it for the second time. Hope you'll be able to read it! ;)

I was going to post the family visit in chapter 9, but then this chapter would be too short and I'm in a good mood today, so... hope you like it! Reviews are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

"I feel a bit left out now! Daisy's been seeing William, and you have John," Gwen admitted good-naturedly, with a lopsided smile. "How long have you been together, anyway?"

"Five months, give or take a few days," Anna told her.

They were sitting outside a cafe in front of the harbour, enjoying the nice summer day; it had been quite some time she and Gwen went out, and Anna had to admit this was her entire fault – she had, indeed, been spending most of her free time with John, and neglected Gwen a bit.

"Already?" Gwen asked her, shaking her head. "Time flies. He went to York today?"

"Yesterday," Anna answered with a sad smile, "They had this important meeting, and he needed to be there yesterday, to speak with his lawyer. It's best this way, I suppose. At least his wife doesn't stop by for a visit anymore."

Gwen snickered.

"He wants to introduce me to his mother when she comes to visit," Anna said nervously.

"That's serious," Gwen said after swallowing some ice cream. "Well, it can't be worse than meeting the wife, can it?"

"I definitely hope so!" Anna exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "That's sort of how it goes, isn't it? We meet each other's family and such. Gail has been bugging me to introduce him as well. And worse, she's told my mum all about it."

"Everything?"

"_Everything_," Anna repeated. "Now Mum calls me every day asking me to bring him to lunch someday. I haven't talked to him about it, yet."

"Well, I'm sure he won't mind," Gwen said, "You already met the last person he wanted you to meet. He won't mind meeting your family."

"But I think _I _mind," Anna retorted, "You know how my parents are. They would accept him if he had grass growing on him, and they'll accept that he's married. They just won't like it."

"But that's not forever. He'll be divorced soon, I'm sure."

"Yeah, I know," she said, deciding to change the mood of the conversation, "I could ask John if he has a friend and we could double date."

"Preferably someone single," Gwen quickly said, and Anna laughed.

"Of course! One married man is quite enough."

* * *

><p>"I can't stand hearing any more news today. Nothing good happens in the world, anyway," Anna said, tossing her book on the coffee table and staring annoyingly at the television. John was sitting beside her, holding the remote.<p>

"You're just saying that because it's your soap's time," he teased her, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He arched his eyebrows in response, not watching TV but still holding the remote.

"Fine. Can you give me the remote, please?" Anna said with a smile. John ignored her question, turning to examine the object. "John, please?"

When he ignored one more time, obviously having fun at this, she reached for his hand, but he pulled away before she could get a hold on the remote; he raised his arm, and before he knew it Anna was almost sitting on his lap, trying to reach it. Having the advantage of being much taller than her, the remote was not within her reach, and she gave him an annoyed glance before straddling him and kissing him on the lips.

He deepened the kiss a moment later, the remote long forgotten after being tossed to the other end of the couch, his hands resting on her thighs.

"Low blow, Anna," he managed to say as she kissed his neck. "The remote is yours."

She pulled away then, and presented him with a mischievous look. "You know what? I don't want it anymore. You're always making me miss my soaps anyway."

He pulled her closer to him, silencing her with a kiss; his hands slipped inside her t-shirt and began caressing the skin of her back and stomach, while her own hands caressed the back of his neck, occasionally tugging his collar in an impatient manner.

Soon enough, they were interrupted by the noise of the phone, but Anna pushed the offending noise away from her mind and kept kissing him. When the noise persisted, she sighed and pulled away with an apologetic glance. Without leaving the position, she slightly turned so that she could reach for the phone on the coffee table, and answered it while turning back to John.

"Hello," Anna said a bit breathlessly, as John again pulled her close to him and started peppering her neck with kisses.

"_Anna, it's Mum. Are you coming to lunch tomorrow?"_

"I... I haven't really thought about this, Mum," Anna said, trying to keep her mind focused on the conversation, but John seemed to not care as his hands caressed her body and his mouth was currently on her shoulder.

"_But it's been ages since you came for a nice family meal! Your father and I miss you!"_

"Okay, fine, I'll go," Anna said, trying to finish the call as soon as possible. She heard John's quiet laugh and threw an annoyed glance at him, but he didn't see it.

"_Is someone there with you, darling? Is he your nice man?"_

Anna saw no point in lying to her mother, and closed her eyes as John nipped lightly in her free ear.

"Yes, he's with me."

"_That's lovely. You'll bring him to lunch too, won't you?"_

"Mum, I'm not..."

"_You will, Anna," _her voice was stern against her ear, and Anna frowned slightly for a moment. _"Your dad and I are crazy to meet him, you know that."_

"Right," Anna said distractedly, shaking her head at John as he tugged on her t-shirt. "Fine, Mum. We'll come over tomorrow."

"_Terrific! Is there anything he doesn't eat, darling? He isn't one of those vegetarian people, is he?"_

"He isn't," Anna responded, "Don't worry Mum, he eats everything."

"_Great. We'll be waiting for you, then."_

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

Anna tossed the phone aside as soon as she heard her mother's goodbye, and smacked John's shoulder.

"John!" Anna said, but her tone betrayed a smile. "I just agreed to bring you over to Mum's tomorrow to meet everyone, and it's all because of you!"

"Alright."

"Alright?"

"Sure. I'd like to meet your family," he said simply, his hands coming to rest on her hips.

Anna looked at him then, observing his dishevelled hair and the loving look on his eyes. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him soundly, his hands reaching the hem of her shirt once more. She allowed him to take it off this time.

* * *

><p>John shifted nervously on his feet as they waited to enter Anna's parents' home. Anna turned to him, smoothing his shirt and smiling.<p>

"It'll be fine. They'll love you," she assured him, "Just be yourself."

"You seem to be nervous as well."

"'Course I am. It's been a while since I've brought anyone home. But they'll love you, I know that," she gave him a soft kiss on the mouth before turning back to the door. "What's taking them so long?"

Just as she said this, however, the door opened to reveal Anna's mother. Anna looked a lot like her – blonde, blue eyes – but her mother was a bit shorter than her. She smoothed her short hair in a somewhat nervous manner and smiled broadly at them.

"I thought you'd never arrive!" her mother exclaimed, stepping out to hug Anna and then moving to look at John. "And this is the famous John Bates!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith," John said awkwardly as Anna's mother proceeded to hug him too. Anna grinned at his surprise.

"Call me Rose, please. There are no formalities around here," Rose said, rushing them to come in. "Sorry if I kept you waiting outside too long. We had a bit of an accident in the kitchen. Maya was trying to help us."

"Everyone's here?" Anna asked as they walked through the narrow hallway.

"Steve and Gail are. Sam went to pick up Nana, they should be arriving any minute now," Rose told them.

"Everyone will be here?" Anna asked again, looking at John's nervous features. "Mum, I thought it would be just us."

"Oh, nonsense. I miss having all my children together. And everyone's so curious about John!" Rose said excitedly as they followed her across the hallway.

The living room was big and largely furnished, with photographs hanging on the wall and a big television with a large couch in front of it, and two armchairs in each side of it, with a smaller couch right next to the TV. A man sat in one of them and appeared to be watching a football game. Another man, in his late thirties, sat on the couch.

"Frank, Steve, Anna is here with _John_," Rose said, accentuating John's name, what made Anna's father turn and look at them.

His face broke into a large smile, and he walked over to his daughter. Frank was a well-built, gray-headed man, a bit shorter than John himself.

"How are you, poppet?" Frank asked. "And this is John, huh?"

"Yes," Anna said a bit breathlessly. "This is my dad, Frank."

"Nice to meet you," John said, shaking his hand.

"That's my brother-in-law, Steve," Anna said as Steve extended his hand.

"How do you do, chap?" Steve asked in a friendly manner.

"Sit down, you two!" Rose told them, and John and Anna sat on the couch. "I'll go see if Gail managed everything in the kitchen."

Rose vanished from the room, and Frank turned down the volume of the TV, looking at Anna and John.

"So, John, you'll have to excuse me, Anna didn't tell us a lot about you," he said interestedly. "She said you work with those ancient houses around 'ere?"

"I do, yes," John said, "There are many Victorian and Edwardian houses in the area, and we plan on renovating most of them."

"That's good. History is never too much, in my opinion," Frank said appreciatively. "I worked on some houses that served as museums, years ago. People should appreciate this kind of culture more."

As Frank said this, the kitchen door opened, this time revealing a woman in her early thirties, with dark brown hair and brown eyes, much more similar to Frank than Rose. She was holding a little girl by the hand, though it was difficult to see the child's face – she was covered, from head to toe, in flour, only her little smart eyes could be easily seen as they scanned the room.

"Auntie Anna!" the little girl said almost immediately upon seeing Anna, and made to run to her, but her mother kept her close together.

"First, we need to clean you up, _and then _you can stay with Auntie Anna. Alright?" Gail said in a stern tone, and the little girl nodded sadly.

"Bet you cook better than Grandma, Maya," Frank laughed, and Maya smiled brightly. "You've met John, Gail?"

"No, not yet," Gail excitedly said, extending her free hand to him. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Anna talks about you all the time."

"Well, not to me," Frank murmured.

"How do you do?" John asked, missing Anna's annoyed glance to her father, who shrugged.

"And this is Maya, but she'll come back later and greet you properly," Gail explained, as she shook John's hand. "She was so excited when we said Auntie Anna would bring a friend for us to meet. Weren't you, Maya?"

The girl nodded silently, eyeing John with interest.

"Steve, can you go take a look at Oliver while I give Maya a bath? It should be quick," Gail said, and the three left the room a moment later.

"Prepare yourself," he warned John, "She's a right chatterbox, the little one. Once she gets used to you, there's no escape."

"John is a good listener," Anna said, stroking his knee absentmindedly, "I'm sure he won't mind."

The doorbell rang then, and Rose's loud voice from the kitchen emerged, making John jump lightly on his seat.

"Can someone _please _answer the door?"

Frank made no mention to move, and Anna rolled her eyes, sharing a look with John before standing up and leaving the room. She opened the door quickly, and her grandmother appeared.

"Oh, Anna, dear," Nana said, hugging her tightly then pulling away to look at her critically. "You're too thin. Have you been eating well?"

"Yes, Nana."

"You know, Nellie's daughter was just like you, too thin," Nana started, "and she found out it was all about stress or some of those new conditions that come with modernity..."

She started walking in front of Anna, and she smiled inwardly, sharing a look with Sam, who came just behind Nana to enter.

"Hey, sister," Sam greeted her with a hug, "Everything alright so far?"

"Maya had a little accident involving flour, but so far so good," Anna said, closing the door and following him to the living room.

"So is it true what I hear? That you've brought a boyfriend to meet us?" Sam teased her, and Anna rolled her eyes.

"Yes, and be nice to him," she said sternly, "Lord knows what Dad's saying to him."

"I'd be more worried with Nana."

They walked into the living room, and once again, introductions were made – Sam politely greeted John, sitting at the other end of the couch, while Nana chose to sit on the other armchair and looked at him speculatively.

"So, you're Anna's nice man?" she asked him interestedly as Anna squeezed in to sit between Sam and John. "But you're much older than she is, aren't you?"

"Well, yes," John said, blushing a little, "By twelve years."

"But you and Grandpa were quite a few years apart in age as well, weren't you, Nana?" Anna asked quickly as she heard Sam snicker quietly.

Nana nodded solemnly. "Oh, that's correct. Your grandfather was thirteen years older than me," she looked around, apparently looking for something, "Where's Rose? And why is nobody drinking anything? Anna, go in there and bring the men some beers, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Oh, and bring me some whisky too, if it's not much trouble."

"Are you sure you can drink, Nana?" Sam asked.

"'Course I am! Would I be asking for a drink if I weren't?" Nana said, rolling her eyes and looking at John. "Kids nowadays..."

Anna left then, glancing at John and hearing Nana ask him about his job – it seemed that everything was going to be fine.

She came back a few minutes later with beers and some whisky for Nana, with her mother following her with snacks and promptly questioning John about everything she wanted to know; his family, his job, how he was adjusting to Scarborough and so on.

"But how did you two meet?" Rose asked interestedly.

"One of the men working at one of the houses we're renovating had an accident," John explained, "Anna was his nurse in the hospital. Let's just say I visited the man much more than I needed to after I saw her."

This prompted some laughs, and soon Gail and Steve got back as well, with Maya running in front of them and quickly jumping onto Anna's lap, chatting happily about her activities in the kitchen.

Lunch flowed well, and conversation stopped being so centred around them, as they talked about the children and Sam told them a few stories about his job, this leading to a new discussion regarding public security and such. Anna watched as slowly Steve and Sam talked to John about rugby, and they seemed to be getting along well.

When they finished eating, Sam left with Nana, as he would be working on the night shift and needed some sleep; the rest of them stayed, Rose absolutely forbidding John to do anything at all, and told him to get out of the kitchen with Frank and Steve.

"Oh, Anna, he's lovely," she said after they'd left. "So polite, and the way he speaks to you..."

"Yes, he's great," Anna agreed, happy to see that her mother liked him.

"And he seems so down to earth!" Gail said, "No wonder you like him. And you can just see he likes you a lot."

"He's lovely," Anna said with a smile, "Did I mention that he's a wonderful cook?"

"No!" Gail said, obviously surprised.

Her mother proceeded to ask her the details, and Anna happily told them while they tidied up the kitchen.

When everything was almost ready, Rose told Anna to go see what the men were doing, and Anna left the kitchen; she found John, Steve and Frank outside, Steve and Frank still drinking beer, apparently having a heated discussion about politics. Upon seeing Anna at the door, John excused himself and walked towards her, since they didn't have much chance to talk to each other since arriving.

"Everything alright out here?" Anna asked him as he got closer.

"Just perfect," he said as he followed her inside the house, "Your family is lovely."

"That's nice to hear, because they think you're lovely as well," Anna said, stopping for a moment in the hallway, "Thanks for doing this."

"My pleasure," he said, leaning down for a quick kiss; they pulled apart a minute later, walking into the living room, where they heard the noise of a baby crying.

Gail opened the kitchen door immediately, Maya right behind her, but Anna stopped them.

"I'll go take a look at Oliver," Anna said. John nodded, sitting down on the couch.

Oliver only needed a diaper change, and appeared to be wide awake by the time Anna finished changing him; he smiled at her as she tickled his stomach and decided to go back downstairs to see if everything's alright.

When she entered the living room, carrying Oliver, John had Maya and Frank for company, and he smiled when he spotted her; she sat down beside him, making funny faces and talking nonsense with the baby, Frank commenting something on the game that was on every now and then. At some point, Maya looked at them from her drawings, looking at John with interest.

"Are you marrying Auntie Anna?" she asked after a moment, prompting Frank and Anna to look at Maya and John.

"Maya, what makes you ask that?" Anna asked, trying to keep her tone light.

"Because you kissed. In the hall. I saw you," she looked at them accusingly, "Daddy says only married people can kiss."

Anna let out a nervous laugh at the little girl's innocence, but Frank was obviously interested in what John would say; Maya was also obviously expecting an answer.

Anna, on the other hand, chose to focus on Oliver instead.

"Well, your auntie is a very charming girl, with a very charming niece," this made Maya giggle, "and I like her very much. I would never kiss her if I weren't serious with her."

His answer seemed enough to satisfy Maya's curiosity – though Anna suspected that would having been it when John called the little girl charming – and Frank turned to watch the TV once more, apparently happy with his answer.

"Daddy says I can only marry when I'm Auntie Anna's age," Maya told them happily, "I'm three already. I want to marry Nicky, he's in my class, and I told him but he doesn't want to marry me..."

Anna let out a small laugh and looked at John; he looked from Maya to her, and they shared a look, but Maya seemed to have liked him and asked another question; Anna was glad it wasn't a very embarrassing one this time.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"She's been claiming that I've been with you ever since before we separated," John told her as he sat on the couch, his voice tired.

His trips to York had been getting more and more frequent and nothing good generally came with it; the divorce process was as slow as ever, and it was difficult for them to reach a ground of mutual agreement. Anna didn't like to meddle and rarely asked anything about it, but she knew it helped when he talked of it. Vera certainly knew how to upset him, and Anna was the one who tried to undo that.

"But that's not true," Anna said with a frown, bringing over to the living room some tea. She took a sit beside John, turning to look at him, "She can't prove it, can she?"

"Of course not," John said after taking a sip of his tea, "it'll only take things slower. I wasn't the best husband, but I was faithful to her while we were together. This accusation gives her the possibility of asking for more money, which I'm sure she will, but there's no proof to this, so... I'm thinking she's trying to tire me out."

Anna gave him a sympathetic smile, stroking his knee lightly.

"And I am," he said, shaking his head in disappointment, "Tired, that is. I should just accept this and give her what she wants. At least she'll be no part of my life then."

Anna sighed, "Well, I'm no expert on the matter, but you shouldn't let her win. If you're tired and willing to give her what she's asking for, it's alright. But please, if you do that, do it for you, not for me," she said quietly, "You never promised me anything and we're doing nothing wrong. Do what's best for you."

He smiled at her words, his first smile since arriving, and Anna shyly smiled back.

"I love you, Anna," he said out of nowhere, the words sounding like music to her ears, "You know that, right?

"I do," she responded, leaning closer to him and giving him a light kiss on the lips, "and I love you too. And no matter what, we shouldn't let her stop us. She hasn't stopped us yet, and she won't stop us now."

He smiled at her, and she rested her head on his shoulder, the tea forgotten on the coffee table, enjoying his warmth.

"It's just that she was opposed to everything I wanted to do," he said quietly, "and she never really encouraged me. Everything I have I achieved without her. So it is a bit frustrating, to have her ask so much with so little right."

She felt him kiss her hair and she touched his free hand, lacing their fingers together.

"I wish I had filed for divorce years ago," he said thoughtfully, "That way, I would have been able to meet you as a free man. And we wouldn't have her in our minds."

"She isn't, not unless we let her," Anna turned to look at him, "Just... be patient. We'll get over this. In the meantime, we can just live on. It's not that hard, is it?"

"Not when you're with me, no," he agreed.

Anna smiled.

"Well then, get used to it. I'm not planning on going anywhere."

* * *

><p>A few days later, Anna knocked softly on the door to John's flat, then turned the key and opened the door to find him lounging on the couch watching a football game. They shared a smile as Anna closed the door.<p>

"You know, you don't have to knock before you open the door," John commented as she walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I just thought I'd let you know I was here," she told him, walking away to put her things in the bedroom.

It had been a few weeks since they decided to exchange keys – it was just a commodity, really. They'd been spending several nights during the week together, and with Anna's irregular shifts it didn't make much sense to wake the other just because one had to leave. It certainly made life easier, but Anna was still getting used to it.

She came back to the living room a minute later, and joined him on the couch. "Please tell me we're staying in tonight. I'm exhausted."

He let out a quiet laugh, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and she wrapped hers around his waist.

"Then we're on the same page. I thought I'd cook you something. You've been doing all the cooking around here lately. How does that sound?"

"Absolutely splendid," she said, looking at the TV but not really paying attention. "Gail's invited us to lunch on Saturday. Do you want to go?"

"Sure," John said, his eyes focused on the screen, as Anna came to realise one of the teams was apparently very near the goal. They missed, however. "Wait, this Saturday?"

Anna nodded.

"I was going to ask you to come to York with me, to visit my mother," he explained, "But we can do that next week, doesn't matter."

Anna smiled at his nonchalant tone; she knew he wanted to introduce her to his mother. Apparently, he mentioned her during one of his visits and Mrs. Bates was curious – Anna supposed that was a good thing – but they had yet to meet.

"Yes, it does. You've met my parents. It's time I met your family," Anna said, ignoring her mind's scheming that there were _only _two days until Saturday and that she'd have to psychologically prepare herself to meet her boyfriend's mother. "I'll call Gail later and tell her we can't go."

"Are you sure she won't mind?"

"Of course not," Anna said dismissively, her eyes focusing on the TV once again, "Now, which team are we supporting?"

* * *

><p>They left for York on Saturday morning, a bit later than John wanted to – Anna had decided that the outfit she had chosen wasn't adequate enough for the occasion and changed clothes about three times before finally settling with a nice coral coloured blouse and jeans. When asked, John patiently said that she looked good in anything at all; when asked again, he said she was perfect and that it was time to leave.<p>

"So, what should I know?" Anna asked when they were in the motorway, nervously adjusting her hair for the fourth time since getting into the car. "Is there anything I shouldn't say?"

John laughed, "No, don't worry. You'll do fine. Mother will be there, obviously. I'm thinking Caitlin might be there too."

"Caitlin is the youngest, right?" Anna asked and John nodded. "Tell me about them."

She knew a lot about John's family – he was the oldest of three and the only boy; after his father died, the only man in the household. Anna knew he had a good relationship with his sisters, despite one of them living in Ireland, and she also knew he praised his mother's opinion, what made Anna even more nervous. He told her once her mother never liked Vera and he should have listened to her – what if his mother disliked her as well?

"Well, Caitlin lives in York, so she's always around," John added, "Rachel lives in Dublin with her husband and their two sons. She comes over a few times during the year, so you won't be able to meet her until a few months. By then, she'll know everything about you, so don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Anna said a bit too quickly. John flashed her a smile.

"You're really nervous, aren't you?" he asked, and Anna chose not to answer his question. "Don't worry, Anna. They'll love you. Didn't you tell me that when I met your family?"

"I know, but that doesn't make me less nervous."

He chuckled to himself and moved the conversation to lighter topics, something that made Anna very grateful. A little more than an hour later, he announced they were getting closer, and once again Anna's nerves took the best out of her. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time, ignoring John as he amusedly shook his head, and soon they stopped in front of a nice, pretty house in the suburbs.

"I know it's hard, but don't be nervous. I'm not," he told her as she unbuckled her seatbelt. Anna turned to look at him, thankful for his calmness; she certainly wasn't calm when she introduced him to her family. He hand came to caress her cheek and he kissed her lips. "I just hope _you_'ll like them."

He opened his door and got out of the car; Anna sighed, feeling a bit more relaxed herself, and waited for him to open the door to her side like he always did.

The neighbourhood seemed very nice and well-kept, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone. It was quiet and empty, and as John's hand slipped around hers, Anna felt more confident. The house was very well-kept and the garden was absolutely beautiful, with dozens of pink roses. When they reached the doorway, they didn't have to wait; the white classic front door swung open and a woman emerged from the house.

She was in her early thirties, tall and lean, and it was obvious that she was John's sister, Caitlin. They shared many traits, such as hair and eyes, but her skin was fairer; she was wearing jeans and a long blouse, and too many necklaces, in Anna's opinion – but somehow it fitted her.

"I was already thinking you'd got lost!" she said with a smile, glancing at Anna for a moment before looking at John.

"We're just in time, don't even start," John said, hugging his sister briefly and then turning to Anna. "Caitlin, this is Anna. Anna, this is my sister Caitlin."

"It's nice to meet you," Anna greeted her with a smile and extended her hand. "John's told me a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same! When Mum told me John would be bringing someone for us to meet, I had to come and see this. Now I understand why he hasn't been visiting us much," Caitlin teased, winking at her brother and shaking Anna's hand, "Well, we can't stand here all day, can we? Come in!"

Anna followed Caitlin inside the house, feeling John's hand on the small of her back as they were guided to a small, comfy living room filled with books and photographs.

An older woman appeared, and looked at them with a benevolent smile. John left Anna's side and walked over to his mother, who pulled him into a hug.

"Did you have a safe trip?" she asked him worriedly, petting his cheek affectionately.

"Yes, everything was fine," John said, his hand once again reaching for Anna's. "Mum, this is Anna."

"Please, call me Eleanor," his mother said, pulling her into a hug. "It's nice to meet you."

Eleanor urged them to sit, and ordered Caitlin to go get some tea while lunch wasn't ready. She was obviously curious about Anna, but seemed a bit hesitant at first. It was Caitlin, a few minutes later, who outwardly asked questions about Anna's life, even if she too seemed hesitant.

"John tells us you're a nurse," she said interestedly, "Do you like being a nurse?"

"Oh, yes. It's very rewarding," Anna told them, "I don't imagine being anything else, really."

"Which department do you work in?"

"I've been working with pre-op and post-op for the past two years," Anna said.

"Lord, you must have to be so patient! I mean, it's difficult to work taking care of people everyday," Caitlin commented, "I was so surprised to hear that you're a nurse. I mean, I'd thought you'd worked with John at some point. He never goes out, and I don't think he was expecting to meet somebody."

Conversation ran smooth after that, with questions about how they met and how was life in Scarborough. Little by little, Anna felt they were warming up to her; she couldn't blame them, not after meeting John's soon-to-be ex-wife. That didn't make her any less nervous, but John's smiles and touches and the way he talked about their relationship to them made her feel welcome and even protected. She knew this was a big step – perhaps even bigger than him meeting her family – and she wanted to make sure everything turned out alright.

Lunch was a pleasant affair, with light conversation; Anna knew she wasn't imagining the glances Caitlin and Eleanor shared throughout the meal, and she knew they were watching her every move – they were judging her, trying to form out an opinion, and Anna could only hope it would be a good one.

After lunch, Anna promptly offered to help wash the dishes, but Eleanor dismissed her in a second, saying that she and Caitlin could take care of everything. She was sent back to the living room, and took the time to look at some of the many photographs; a few minutes later John reappeared and they exchanged a look. Anna knew they had been probably talking about her, and that was an unnerving feeling.

He stopped beside her and looked at the photograph she had been gazing at, one of a man standing with his arms crossed, looking at the camera with a broad smile; a little boy, who couldn't be more than 9, imitated his father's expression – except he had a couple of teeth missing.

"That's my father and I," John told her, "This was taken a few months before he died. We used to go fishing together."

He said this with a smile, his voice far away, probably remembering something.

"You were adorable," Anna said, fixing her eyes on the little boy that would become the man before her.

"What, I'm not adorable anymore?" he teased, and Anna laughed softly.

"Of course you are, even more so," she promptly said with a smile. "I think your mother was expecting someone older."

"Maybe," he agreed after some thought, "but judging by the conversation I heard in the kitchen a few minutes ago, you have nothing to worry about. She liked you."

"Really?" Anna asked a bit breathlessly, "I wasn't sure she would. But she's very nice. I like her too."

"And that's just as important," he said, looking at her but then adverting his eyes to the door. Anna turned around and saw Eleanor looking at them.

"John, Caitlin wants to talk to you," Eleanor said, walking into the living room and settling onto a chair.

John winked briefly at Anna and walked away; smiling, Anna sat on the couch, all the while feeling Eleanor's eyes on her.

"I don't know how you managed it, but John's happy," Eleanor said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I'm sorry if we weren't very cooperative when you arrived. We were afraid he'd bring some woman we wouldn't like. He managed to surprise us. Positively, that is."

The ambiguity on her tone made Anna smile in embarrassment, "I'm glad. He makes me very happy, even if sometimes he doubts that."

"Well, what with his past, we can't blame him," Eleanor said. "You're a nice girl. Try not to hurt him. Lord knows Vera's done enough of that already."

"I'd never hurt him, Eleanor," Anna said sincerely, "At least not on purpose."

Eleanor smiled at her words. "Let's hope he won't hurt you too, then."

John and Caitlin returned at that moment and the mood changed; John was apparently teasing his sister about her not marrying – as apparently she had a boyfriend of many years now –, and soon Eleanor started questioning Anna again, this time about her family. It seemed as though she was more comfortable, though, and for that Anna was glad. Conversation turned again as they talked about John growing up and Anna had fun listening to stories about when he was child.

Time passed by quickly and soon John suggested they go back to Scarborough. After promising to visit again, they went back to the car and started their journey back home.

"Mum must have told me a thousand times about how lovely you are," John told her, apparently very happy that the day had gone well.

"They're lovely as well," Anna said, "But then I would have expected nothing less from the woman who raised you."

He smiled lovingly at her, and looking back at the day, Anna couldn't help but feel happy about everything; at the moment, everything was perfect.

But still, she couldn't help but feel that that was about to change.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Anna woke up feeling cold; they were half-way through the autumn, and it was getting colder and colder as they days passed. However, when she moved, her eyes still closed, she found out that the bed was empty. Opening her eyes and adjusting them to the dark, she stuffed a yawn and got up, her vision still a bit hazy.

She shivered slightly as her bare feet met the cold floor, and tip-toed her way around the flat. When she reached the living room, she saw a figure standing in front of the large windows, his arms crossed in front of him, apparently deep in thought.

It wasn't the first time this occurred, and Anna was familiar with the sight. John sometimes had trouble sleeping, and lately it had worsened. Walking slowly across the living room, she watched as he turned his head only slightly, seeing her, and she slipped her arms around his middle, hugging him from behind.

She rested her head against his bare shoulder, feeling very sleepy, and wondering how on earth he managed to be warm while she was freezing. He caught one of her hands and caressed it.

"Your hands are cold," he said after a moment.

Anna smiled, her eyes closed. "That's because you weren't there to warm me up."

Her voice sounded a bit hoarse and she was sure he was smiling now.

"Did I wake you up?"

"Oh, yes. I could hear your thoughts from the bedroom," Anna told him. "What's worrying you now? Is it the hearing tomorrow?"

"Partly, yes," John answered her.

He didn't elaborate, and Anna was too sleepy to push the subject; she knew he worried about the hearing, and this one could mean everything or nothing at all. The process was still slow, and it was wearing him out. And even Anna had to admit this was tiring her as well. It didn't matter that he had a wife, no – some would see the problem as a big one, but Anna didn't care much for it. She cared, however, for John – and she knew he was getting more and more impatient and stressed.

"Come on," Anna said after a moment, kissing his shoulder, "let's go back to bed. Standing here will help nothing."

He kissed her knuckles and turned around, and they walked hand in hand back to the bedroom. There, safe and warm in his arms, Anna succumbed back to sleep, but he was still wide awake then.

* * *

><p>"He's just been so cryptic lately, y'know?" Anna said to Gwen in the locker room as they got ready to leave the hospital. "He's always been quiet, but I feel like there's something he's not telling me."<p>

"Oh, that happened to me once," Ethel said out of sudden, and Gwen threw her an annoyed look. "Found out the bastard had another woman. You should keep your eyes open, Anna."

"He doesn't have another woman, Ethel," Anna rolled her eyes. "He already has a wife he's trying to divorce and me for a girlfriend. Besides, I trust him. I just think there's more to his thoughts than he's telling me."

"Maybe he was just worried about the audience today," Gwen suggested. "Will he stay in York this weekend?"

"No, he's planning on visiting his mother and come back in the morning," Anna told them as they left the locker room.

"Nights away in another town," Ethel said, shaking her head. "I'm telling you, Anna, keep your eyes open."

Anna chose to ignore Ethel. Gwen rolled her eyes.

"But you two _are _okay? Y'know, as a couple?"

"We're perfect. I'd say we've never been better in some aspects," Anna said with a tiny smile, but sighed as she remembered the main issue. "He's just been quiet. I know that he trusts me, but I feel like he's protecting me sometimes, and I don't need that."

"Well, if you trust each other so much, then you should tell him about how you're feeling," Ethel said as they approached the exit.

Anna opened her mouth to say something, but she ended up bumping into another person as the doors slid open. Gwen grinned slightly and Ethel laughed; Anna just looked up to see Dr. Molesley and hurried to apologise.

"Don't worry, Anna, it's nothing," he said, smoothing his shirt. "How was Emma's post-op?"

"Everything was just fine. I just saw her, and she's feeling alright," Anna told him. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dr. Molesley."

"Until then, Anna," Dr. Molesley said, and Anna walked away to join Gwen and Ethel, who were waiting for her.

Ethel grinned, "He totally fancies you."

Anna shook her head slightly, and was about to talk again when she spotted someone watching them from a nearby bench.

She met John's eyes and smiled in surprise; seeing who she was smiling at, Gwen and Ethel shared smirks and bid goodbye to Anna as she walked over to her boyfriend.

He stood up when she approached, kissing her fully in the mouth, as if they had been apart a long deal. She smiled when he pulled away.

"I thought you were staying in York tonight!" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"I just arrived, and I knew you'd be ending your shift soon, so I thought I'd surprise you," he said. "I want to talk to you."

"Well, we could go have dinner somewhere," Anna said, "but I'm not exactly dressed to go somewhere fancy."

"You look lovely, as always," he said, looking at her comfortable clothes and her flat shoes. "But I think I'd prefer if we went home."

After deciding to go back to Anna's flat, they left the hospital. He seemed a bit anxious, and Anna was curious to learn about the day's events; somewhere inside her, she believed that everything had gone well. But his frown while driving didn't get her hopes up; she was sure that if everything had gone so well he'd have talked about it as soon as possible.

Anna started to make them some dinner, offering some wine to John, which he refused. He leaned against the counter as she cooked, asking her if there was anything he could do, but Anna declined and promptly asked him about the hearing. He sighed tiredly before speaking.

"It couldn't have been worse," he told her quietly, "Vera kept saying that I cheated on her and her lawyer had a rather long list of things she wants. She's out of her mind."

"Well, we knew that already," Anna said.

"Yes, we did. But now she has pictures," he said, his voice fierce. "Pictures of us."

"What?"

"She's put someone to watch us," he told her, "There are pictures of you going to the hospital, of us having dinner... Anything and everything. She's trying to make them believe I want to divorce her only because of you."

"That's ridiculous," Anna said, shaking her head, "not to mention creepy. Now I get why you didn't want to go out tonight."

He nodded, deep in thought. Anna stared at him, wondering not for the first time about what he was thinking. She went back to the sauce, a thought occurring to her.

"I know that look. You're not... worried about this, are you?" she asked him tentatively. "You don't think this can go forward, do you? You've said before, you're doing nothing wrong. You're free – well, almost, anyway – and you have every right to be with me. So please, don't think you're guilty on this, because you're not."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that he smiled; stepping closer to her, he slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her hairline.

"You know me too much."

"Well, to me it'll never be enough," she told him in a teasing tone, but she knew she was serious. "Just... don't worry. I'm sure it'll turn out okay. What did your lawyer say?"

"He says this can upset our case. Even if we're doing nothing wrong, all people can see is that I have a girlfriend and I'm asking for a divorce, whilst she apparently has nobody else," he told her with a sigh. "He suggested a few things, but I'm not up to thinking about this anymore. You have no idea how happy I am to be here with you right now."

Anna smiled, glad that he was talking to her; it wasn't enough yet, but she wouldn't push. It sounded like he had a bad day – or as he always says, any day he sees Vera becomes a bad day – and she didn't want him to feel upset.

"So, who was that chap at the hospital?"

Anna frowned, "What chap?"

"The one you nearly knocked over to the ground," he answered, his voice a bit strained.

"Oh, that's Dr. Molesley," Anna told him, "He's been transferred to our department. He seems nice."

"He kept looking at you after you walked away," he said a bit accusingly.

Anna stopped suddenly and smiled, "You're not jealous, are you?"

"No," he said quickly, and Anna laughed softly. "Alright, maybe a little. I know that you're beautiful and probably have lots of men staring at you all the time, so I should be used to it by now."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about," Anna said, turning her head to the side and kissing the corner of his mouth. "Now, let me finish this or we won't eat anything tonight."

He kissed her hairline one more time and went back to lean against the counter, making the occasional comment and asking about her day.

Anna smiled to herself. They'd be fine.

* * *

><p>"I was wondering if you had forgotten all about me already!" Anna said when she looked at the open door, where John stood. She walked over to him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips as a greeting.<p>

"I'd never forget about you, you know that," John said cheekily, and Anna smiled.

"John Bates, you're such a sweet talker, aren't you?" she asked him, "I'll just get my bag and then we're ready to go."

Some minutes later, when they were already at the restaurant and ordering some drinks, Anna noticed how John seemed a bit nervous; they hadn't been going out much lately, not after they found out someone must have been following them for quite a few months. Still, Anna felt completely alright at the moment – the restaurant was pretty quiet, since it was a weekday and with summer gone, the tourists weren't around.

After they ordered what they wanted, Anna smiled at him as he took her hand across the table.

"So, how was your day?"

"Well," Anna started, "Mr. Hill is back again. Heart condition. Apparently it isn't very serious, so no need to get worried. He's already asked me to go to the hospital's annual charity ball with him."

John laughed softly, stroking her hand.

"You seem a bit tired. How was your day?" Anna asked him interestedly.

He sighed, "Could have been worse, I suppose. We've been having some troubles with a house in Whitby. I might have to go there tomorrow."

His voice sounded distant, and Anna knew he wasn't done yet; she waited for him to speak, curious to know what was bothering him.

"Robert's asked me to go to Hampshire, to supervise some works there," he told her, "I'm not obliged to go, of course."

Anna knew his tone, and she knew his loyalty to Robert Crawley; of course he _felt _he was obliged to go. He wasn't, of course, and he knew that, but Anna knew it was difficult for him to refuse such a thing. She offered him a sad smile, and laced her fingers with his.

"But you want to go."

"Yes. I think it might do us some good," Anna frowned at his choice of words, and he quickly explained himself. "After the hearing last week, Murray suggested that I went away for a while, at least until we can prove Vera's wrong about everything. I wasn't going to do it, of course, but I'm starting to see this as an opportunity."

"How long would you be away?"

"Four weeks at the most, I think," he answered her.

"Well, if you want to go, you should," Anna told him, "It might be a good opportunity – professionally speaking. And if this might help your case against Vera... But of course I'm not happy."

"Neither am I," he hurried to tell her, "I'm going to think all this through. I just thought you should know."

Anna smiled at him, "Whatever you decide, I hope you'll be back for the charity ball. Otherwise I might have to accept Mr. Hill's invitation."

He laughed then, and brought her hand to his lips. "I'll be here then. Don't worry."

They shared a smile and the subject was dropped as the waiter came back with their orders; the meal was pleasant but they didn't stay long. Soon they were back in the car, both eager to get home.

That night, between kisses and moans and her name on his lips, Anna tried to memorise everything – his voice, his hands, his body, even though she knew him almost the palm of her hand or like a book she's read a thousand times. It wasn't their last time – and even if he did go, four weeks passed by so fast, right?

Five days later, he was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **A smaller chapter today, full of Anna and Bates, but I hope you liked it! Reviews are much appreciated, as always, and I'd like to know what you think! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Women," Mr. Hill murmured, shaking his head, "Doesn't matter if it's 2012 or 1940. You're all the same."

"I'm sure Doris will come to visit you sometime soon," Anna said patiently, switching Mr. Hill's IV bag for a new one.

"Visit! Well, I don't blame her. She's on a cruise somewhere in the Mediterranean with her family. I'd choose a cruise over anyone without as much as a blink!" Mr. Hill said, turning to look at her with a smile, "Except for you, Anna, of course."

Anna laughed at his playful tone, but her smile didn't reach her eyes; she had a long hour ahead of her, with multiple surgeries and new patients coming, and three nurses came down with the flu and had to go home, leaving the others overloaded with work.

"You've been quiet this week. Is that man of yours still away?" Mr. Hill asked her interestedly as she connected the IV properly to the lines.

"Yeah," Anna said simply, "he'll have to stay in Hampshire at least one more week. But I'm alright, just thinking about work."

"Right," Mr. Hill told her, obviously unconvinced, "Will he be here for that ball? I know it's two weeks from now."

Anna smirked at him, "Yes, he'll be here."

"Because, you know, if he isn't, I can always be your date," Mr. Hill offered, arching his eyebrows.

"Well, we need to know if you'll be recovered until then! You do know you're having surgery in three days, right, Arthur?" Anna teased him; Mr. Hill huffed.

"I do know that! What I don't know is why I must stay here for so long, it's been weeks!" he exclaimed, dropping his voice a little, "Might as well change my address."

"It's been only four weeks, and you've had three minimal and very successful operations in this time. This is the last one. Dr. Molesley's been very satisfied with your recent improvement," Anna commented.

"Yeah, right. Pompous lad. He's a good doctor, I like him. Just a bit too pompous, that's all," Mr. Hill muttered, and Anna shook her head playfully.

"Alright, Arthur, I need to get going now," Anna told him, "Is there anything else you need?"

"I need to get that man of yours over here so I can give him a piece of my mind and put a smile on your face, that's what I need," Mr. Hill murmured, and Anna chose to ignore him. "Well, you could get me some new batteries for the remote too. Ask the little one, can't remember her name, y'know, the one who looks like a little mouse?"

Anna smirked, "Daisy?"

"Yes, tell Daisy to get new batteries for the remote. I don't want to bother you anymore," Mr. Hill said with an impatient wave of his hand, and Anna left his room.

She walked across the hallways in a bit of a hurry, mentally listing everyone she needed to see before shift ended. It was, after all, better to focus on work than on anything else. Like John and his extended time away.

When he told her he might have to go away, she didn't like it, but understood. He explained that he'd be doing it because it'd be better for them – for his case against his wife, and for his job, of course. And as the first week passed and Anna adjusted to not having him around, she started to think that maybe, just maybe, this might be good for them as a couple. Perhaps a little more space would do them some good.

And it did – it was good to be alone sometimes.

Still, after that first week with a few phone calls and texts and several emails, Anna was starting to dread going back to her empty flat, and she dreaded even more when she needed to go to _his _flat – she went there a couple of times a week, occasionally to grab something she had forgotten, to water his plants and to borrow a book.

After the third week and she was missing him even more, she started to spend a few nights alone at his place; it reminded her of him, it all had a memory of him. After the fourth week, she even brought Boris to stay there for a couple of days.

He didn't mind, of course – he called whenever he could, since he was very busy and Anna didn't like to disturb him. Each time he called, he made sure to tell her he missed her, and that he wanted to be home soon.

They made a point of not talking about his divorce while he was away, and Anna was glad for that. They spent their time talking about everything and nothing, and she always missed him even more after the call was ended.

As she was counting the days until he came home, he called her in the middle of the day to tell her he might have to stay one more week – something about problems with a house in Dorset – and Anna didn't like it. She didn't like it, but she understood.

She went out with Gwen and Ethel, and she visited her sister and spent time with her niece and nephew; after John's mother called his landline and Anna answered it in his second week away, they even began calling each other regularly. It was nice to talk to her and Anna liked to think that they were becoming friends – plus, it made her feel even closer to John.

But after more than five weeks away, Anna was definitely tired of this.

"Is it bad that I want Alicia away from here as soon as possible?" she heard Gwen's voice behind her, and Anna stopped for a moment so that her friend would reach her.

"Probably not, since that means you want her to get better," Anna said.

"I like kids, I really do," Gwen told her in a serious tone, "but that girl is a brat."

Anna smiled sympathetically at her, "Cheer up. There's only an hour left until we're finished for today."

"I know," Gwen said, "You don't seem so happy, though."

"I like to be busy," Anna stated simply.

"No, you like to be busy with John," Gwen teased her, "Don't worry. At least you'll have someone to bring to the ball."

"I'm sure you can find millions of blokes who'll want to go with you."

"Right," she said unconvincingly, "Tell me, is your cat busy that day? He sounds like a good company."

Anna laughed softly, saying that Boris was indeed a very nice company.

Not nicer than John's, though.

* * *

><p>"You're not coming?"<p>

Anna stood in the middle of her living room, waiting for an answer on the other line of the phone. After what seemed like months – when in fact it was only a second –, he answered.

"_I can't_," his voice was quiet, "_I don't think I can get in Scarborough on Friday."_

"You said you would be here," her tone was just as quiet.

"_I know, and I'm sorry_," he said patiently, "_Just... work's been more consuming than I thought, and I have a meeting on Friday afternoon that I can't..._"

"Okay, I get it," Anna interrupted, "It's just that I... I always go alone to this ball. Every single year. And I was so excited that you'd come too, and now you're not here."

"_I'm sorry, Anna, I really am_," John said, "_You do understand, don't you?_"

Anna frowned as the tears threatened to slip.

"Of course I understand," she said weakly, her voice betraying her emotions, "Of course. I always understand, don't I?"

"_Anna..."_

"It's been six weeks, John!" Anna said, sitting harshly on the couch and running a hand through her hair, "You said you'd be back in four weeks, and I've waited six weeks! Christmas is just around the corner – will you be here to spend Christmas with me or will you just work?"

"_Of course I'll spend Christmas with you!"_

"Well then, do you promise?" Anna asked, her voice small, "John?"

Her question was met with silence, and Anna blinked, the tears now sliding through her cheeks.

"Alright. It's... I thought I was imagining it," she said weakly, "You barely called these last few weeks. We're always too busy to talk to each other. Maybe I've been suffocating you, after all."

"_Anna, that's not..."_

"I understand, I really do. I know I can demand too much sometimes. I know I'm bossy sometimes," she told him, "I really understand. And this... this is not something we should discuss on the phone. I'm just... I'm tired, John."

He was quiet for a moment, and Anna stopped, already regretting what she said; she wasn't normally so impulsive and she didn't say things without thinking. The truth was that those thoughts had been in her mind for a while, perhaps because of Ethel's bad influence. But really, could she blame him? He spent years married to someone he didn't love, and now that he could be free he had her to nag him about things. Perhaps he needed space indeed – and time away. She couldn't blame him.

"_I miss you, Anna_," he said, his voice sounding tired, "_I miss everything about you. Please don't think I'm doing this on purpose. I just can't promise something that's not within my reach._"

"I know," she said, "I'm sorry, I overreacted. I'll be waiting, whenever you can come."

She smiled in a way that did not reach her eyes, but it was the least she could do for him.

* * *

><p>Anna walked down the street in a bit of a hurry, the cold December air making her warm clothes not quite enough to keep her warm. She was glad to be on her way home; it was quite late, the pavements were wet with the snow from earlier, but at least it wasn't snowing now. Miles from where she was, however, her friends were having fun at the hospital's annual Christmas charity ball.<p>

Anna had decided against it, in the end; she wasn't in the mood and, well, someone would have to work anyway. She truly didn't mind; sure, she had wanted to go at first, but with John away it didn't really excite her. She'd gone quite a few times too, and it was always the same thing, if not a bit boring. She usually had a good time, but she wasn't really in the mood.

She shivered slightly when she saw her building, and started to rummage her bad in search for her keys. She finally found them, and looked up to see a lone figure sitting on one of the steps that led to the front door. She frowned; it was dark and she couldn't see who it was.

When she got closer and her steps got clearer, the man looked up and she instantly stopped when their eyes locked.

John.

He stood up immediately, seemingly nervous, but his face broke into a smile when she presented him with one of her own.

He was here, again, back to her, in front of her, and she could barely believe it.

"What are you doing here?" Anna asked, a smile playing on her lips as she started to walk again.

He walked down the steps, his hands in his pocket; he was wearing a simple suit, and Anna wasn't sure how he was able to stand in the cold with no real coat. He looked different from the last time she saw him – only six weeks ago, but it seemed like a lifetime now. His hair was a bit messy, probably from the trip, and he was sporting a beard that Anna hadn't seen yet, but gave him a rather charming look.

"I thought I'd surprise you by arriving in time for the ball," he said quietly, "Obviously I overestimated the roads. I only got here forty minutes ago."

"And you've been waiting for me ever since?" Anna asked as they finally came to stand close together, face to face. Her heart leaped a little when his hands reached her cheeks. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.

"What are forty minutes compared to six weeks?"

He asked softly, finally leaning in and kissing her lips; his kiss was soft and kiss at the same time, savoured with longing and love, and Anna wished not for the first that he'd never go away, because she knew in that moment that she couldn't live without his kiss anymore.

* * *

><p>Anna lay on her back, her eyes closed, and tried to catch her breath; she felt John shift on the bed and bring the sheets to rest over them. His hand came to her waist below the sheets and he brought her even closer to him, prompting her to sigh contently and open her eyes. He chuckled then, bringing his mouth to hers and kissing her deeply one more time.<p>

He leaned on his elbow, looking at her with an adorable look on his face while his hand drew invisible patterns on her hip.

"This was..." Anna started, taking another breath and John chuckled again, "This was definitely worth waiting for."

"You cut your hair," he said with a smile.

She smirked at him, a bit surprised that he noticed, "Only a bit. What do you think?"

"I think I would love you however, whatever, whenever," he told her and they shared a smile.

She brought her hand to rest on his now-bearded cheek and caressed it.

"I like your beard."

"I'll shave later, sorry," he said quickly, but Anna shook her head.

"No, I like it," she told him. Her smile suddenly turned somewhat sad, and her words were quiet, "Are you staying for the weekend?"

"No," he said, his hand moving back to her waist, "I'm staying for the year. I might have to go back to Hampshire sometimes, but no long stays there. Nothing more than three days. I don't want to do this again."

"Really?" she asked him in an amused tone.

"If these past weeks have taught me something is that I don't want to be away from you anymore," he told her quietly, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"Good," Anna said in a defiant tone, a small playing on her lips, "because I've missed you too."

He leaned in and kissed her again, his hand strengthening the hold on her waist and Anna was sure she could stay like this forever. Soon enough for her, they parted, their faces inches from each other. He looked at her a bit nervously before speaking.

"Let's move in together, Anna."

Anna let out a soft laugh, "What?"

"I've been thinking about this for weeks – months even," John said, "We were virtually living together, anyway, only in two flats. We could find a place for us and move in together."

"I... I don't know," Anna said in disbelief, "Are you really asking me this?"

He chuckled, "Lord knows I'd be asking you to marry me if I could, but this is the best I can do at the moment."

He leaned in to kiss her again, but Anna stopped him mid-way.

"Wait, what?"

"I know it's overwhelming and unexpected, but I've put great thought into this," he told her, "Just... think about it, okay? And tell me when you're ready."

Anna watched him, his kind eyes and the tiny nervous smile on his face; how could she say no to him?

She laced her hands together at the back of his neck and smiled.

"Alright. I'll think about it."

He smiled broadly at that and proceeded to properly kiss her now; soon his body was covering hers and Anna decided she would think about it alright – but only tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **The holiday gave me some time off and I managed to finish this chapter before the weekend - hope you liked it! Happy Easter!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **This chapter was particularly difficult, and I hope you'll like it. I apologise if there are any mistakes - it's quite late and after a bust of inspiration to finish this, I'm too tired to re-read it. I'll probably have one more look at it tomorrow to make sure it's okay, but just thought I'd warn you. ;) Hope you'll find this enjoyable!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve<strong>

"What is it with men and football?" Gail asked in an amused tone as she entered the kitchen from the living room; Anna could hear the men talking and the narrator on the TV from the spot she sat on the kitchen, feeding Oliver. "Oh, Anna, don't do that. You work enough as it is; I don't want you coming here to help me with Oliver."

"But I don't mind. That's what aunts are for, right, Oliver?" Anna asked in a playful tone, shaking the spoon she was holding while the baby laughed happily.

Gail smirked, "Right. Well, you _should_ practice."

Anna frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, Anna. You're already living together," Gail said, "The next step is the talk."

"We're not living together," Anna told her, "We're looking for places and when we've found the right one, we'll go. We're still living apart."

"Tell that to Mum. She's been telling everyone that you're living with a very nice chap," Gail rolled her eyes and laughed. "Of course she's been omitting the fact that he's married. Not that we care about that. Dad doesn't even talk about it anymore."

Anna rolled her eyes, "And Mum's happy about it?"

"Of course she is. She was starting to think you and Sam would stay single forever. Sam doesn't seem to want to settle down anytime soon, so you're her best hope for more grandchildren. I don't think she will have any more on my account," Gail said, "Now, have you talked about kids or not?"

"No. I don't think we're quite ready for that," Anna told her, making funny faces while trying to make sure that Oliver ate everything from the spoon. "I mean, we've been together for a while, but with the divorce process and everything... I think it's too soon."

"So you're saying that you have no idea if he wants children or not?"

"Well, I hope he does," Anna told her a bit uncertainly, "I mean, most people do, right?"

"You want children, right?"

"Yes, eventually," Anna nodded, "Not right now, but in the future, yes."

"You should have asked him already," her sister said, "Some women actually break up with blokes who don't want children, you know?"

"I'm not breaking up with him if he doesn't want to have children," Anna retorted quickly.

"I'm not telling you to do that," Gail said, "I'm telling you that this is important. If you're starting a life together with someone, you need to know the other person's perspectives and hopes, that's all that I'm saying."

"Maybe you're right. But it's not exactly an easy topic," Anna told her, filling the spoon with food, since Oliver was now mumbling incoherent words impatiently, obviously wanting more food. "I can't just out of nowhere ask him if he wants to have..."

Anna stopped in mid-sentence as the kitchen door opened one more time, and John entered in the kitchen; he looked at them suspiciously, and Anna knew that he knew that they were talking about him. She grinned at his expression.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, "but it's my turn to grab some beer."

"In the fridge, please help yourself, John," Gail said with a smile, "How's the game?"

"Very good," John told them, opening the fridge and grabbing two beers, "we're losing, but there's still enough time to win."

He turned and, passing by Anna, pinched her cheek ever so softly, making her smile; Gail spoke as soon as the door closed.

"I don't think you'll have a problem with that, though," she said, "He's really good with children. Maya adores him."

Anna laughed, "I'm thinking she's starting to like him more than she likes me."

"Well, but that's a good thing. Everyone likes him. Mum's always talking about how nice he is, and John and Steve get on so well," Gail told her, "I'm happy that you've found yourself someone like him. Who knows? Maybe he'll ask you to marry him as soon as the divorce is final."

"I think that some questions should be left for the future," Anna said with a smile, "Let's try not to be too ahead of ourselves, alright?"

Gail smirked at her, and Anna shook her head with an amused expression.

* * *

><p>Anna entered the apartment quietly, smiling at the smell of food and the music in the living room; John was home and, apparently, in a good mood.<p>

She was taking off her coat when he appeared, smiling broadly at her.

"You're late," he said, approaching her and kissing her softly.

"I know, sorry," Anna groaned, "Gwen called in sick and Ethel had to stay home to take care of her son, so it was a bit chaotic."

"I don't even need to ask how your day was, then."

Anna smiled, "No. I'm knackered. You seem quite happy, though. How was your day?"

"It was good," he said simply, his hands stroking her arms. "I'm making dinner. Hope you don't mind."

"Mind?" she laughed, "It's great. What's the chef serving tonight?"

"Spaghetti. I'm feeling adventurous," he said with a grin, and Anna had to laugh at his tone.

"Alright. Do I have time to take a shower?"

"Don't worry about it. I just started," he winked at her and left.

Anna shook her head, amused, and went to take a shower; she felt truly exhausted, and when she came back to the kitchen, freshly showered and wearing comfortable clothes, she was glad to be home – or, rather, in John's home – and to have come home to someone waiting for her.

John had just finished dinner when she got there, and she kissed him more animatedly than she did when she first arrived.

"I take it you're feeling better, then?" he asked playfully, running his fingers through her hair as they sat down to eat.

"Much better," she told him, "I'm so glad to be home. I was starting to think that the end of my shift would never come."

They talked about her day and she complimented him on dinner, ever so thankful to not have to bother with it; when they were finished, Anna made a point of talking about his nice mood and he smiled.

"Well," he started, "I have some news."

Anna took a sip of her soda and waited for him to speak again.

"I spoke to Murray today," he said, referencing to his lawyer, "He had a meeting with Vera's lawyer this afternoon, and he thinks we have a strong chance of finally put all this to an end."

"That's great, darling," Anna told him sincerely, "No wonder you're so happy. This just made my day."

He laughed, "Yes, well, we'll have to wait and see, but it looks good. That's not the only news, though."

"There's more?"

"I think I've found us the perfect place," he told her excitedly, "A few blocks away from your sister's house. I noticed it the last time we went there, and I called it to know the details. We could go take a look at it next week."

"Sounds nice to me," Anna told him animatedly, "Let's see if you've found us a nice place."

He kissed her lightly and as she began to clean up the kitchen, he sent her to the living room, telling her that she'd worked too much already and he'd handle it. She protested, but soon he was guiding her to the couch and she accepted it. The stereo was still on, playing some sad song, and Anna yawned as she sat, taking interest in a magazine that had been tossed onto the coffee table. Boris came to walk between her legs, demanding attention, and Anna stroked behind his ears distractedly, which was enough to keep him satisfied.

After ten minutes, she stood up to put the magazine in its place – not at the coffee table, but she was used to John's habit of leaving everything there by now. The music was better now, not sad but still slow. Anna was contemplating turning it off when she saw John walking towards her, and she giggled when he held her right hand while pushing her towards him by the waist with his free one.

"May I have this dance?"

Anna smiled, "We're already dancing."

"Well, it never hurts to ask," John said, "Besides, you're dancing. I'm just... moving without grace or rhythm."

She laughed gracefully, moving ever so slowly with the song and resting her head against his chest, enjoying their closeness.

"How is the house like?" she asked him quietly.

"It's very nice. I think you'll like it," he told her, "Big kitchen, nice fireplace. Three bedrooms."

"Three?" she repeated, her heart pounding fast against her chest. "What would we do with three bedrooms?"

He laughed softly, the vibrations from his chest against her head, "I'm sure we would find a way to fill up all those rooms."

This was the moment, and Anna knew it; she had been trying to find the right moment to talk to him ever since talking to Gail, days ago.

At first, when Gail suggested the talk, Anna was sceptical. Were they ready for this conversation? She put thoughts about this aside, but the subject kept coming to her mind. He was in his forties, and even though he'd been married for several years he didn't have any children. Perhaps he didn't like children, after all.

And as the days passed by and the doubts didn't stop filling Anna's mind, she thought it was time to ask him about it. She wasn't sure what she'd do if he told her he was opposed to the idea; she was sure she couldn't give him up. Yes, she wanted children, she had always imagined she would be a mother someday. But she knew she'd have to think about it very carefully if John didn't want children.

Still, you should face the problem when it's presented, not beforehand, and that was Anna's main thought when she asked him about it.

"John, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about," she started carefully.

"Now I'm worried," he told her in a playful tone.

Anna let go of his and put her arms around his neck, lifting her head to look at him.

"No need to worry. I think," she explained nervously with a laugh, "Do you... Do you think about having children? In the future?"

"Are you trying to tell me something in particular?"

"No! No," she told him with a smile, "Just... answer the question."

"Alright," he told her with a smile, "Well, I suppose I do. I didn't think about it for a long time, for obvious reasons, but now I think I'd like to be a father. That is, if you want to have children. Only if you want to."

She smiled at his last sentence and his sudden nervousness and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"I want to," she told him, and realised they had stopped dancing, "Not now, though. I hadn't even thought about it until Gail asked me. Just... well, since we'll be living together it made sense to ask you about this."

"It does make sense," he agreed, "And we should settle down, wait for this divorce to be complete and then start making some babies."

She laughed, "Babies? As in more than one?"

"We'd make beautiful babies," he told her with a smile, "You know, we could start practicing."

"Really?" Anna teased him.

"Yes. So when we decide to try, we're really good at it."

"I think we're pretty good at it already," Anna told him with a grin, "But, well, they do say that practice makes perfect."

Before she knew it, he had one arm behind her knees and was carrying her in his arms; she gasped in surprise, strengthening her hold on his neck. She giggled as he settled his arms behind her securely, and his smile was broad when he looked at her face. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless.

"We could stay like this a little more, but I'm afraid my knees aren't the same as they used to be," he said in a playful tone, starting to walk to the bedroom.

"Is that your way of telling me I put on some weight?"

"No, my dear," he told her as he entered the bedroom with her in his arms, "That's me having my way with you."

"Sounds great to me."

* * *

><p>Two weeks later, Anna sat on the couch of her living room, flipping through the channels, trying to find something useful to watch. She left work a bit earlier than usual, and hoped that John would be home by that time. Of course, it didn't happen. He had left for York earlier that day and she wasn't sure when he would be home.<p>

She was also curious; she knew that John had spoken with the estate agent in the morning, but she had no idea what their conclusion was.

They went to look at the house that John mentioned and, even though Anna was a bit sceptical at first, she absolutely loved it. It was perfect, indeed – the perfect large bay windows at the front, a big fireplace, nice bathrooms and bedrooms and a beautiful garden. She truly couldn't imagine a house better for them.

The price was higher than their budget, and at first Anna didn't want to buy the house; they could look for something that would fit better. John, however, was sure that the house was perfect and within days had persuaded her that it would be alright, they could manage just fine.

When she heard the noise of the keys, she instantly turned off the TV, and smiled nervously at John when he saw her.

He smiled tiredly at her, taking off his shoes and coat and then making his way to her on the couch; he greeted her with a kiss and sat down beside her.

Anna took her time to watch him, nervously putting a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"How was York?"

"Not very nice, I'm afraid," he said with a sigh, "We reached no agreement. Vera didn't accept any of our offers, and we'll have to discuss everything with a judge in a few weeks."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Anna said quietly.

"Well, it was unexpected, but I can live with it," John said, turning to look at her with a smile. "You seem a bit distracted, my dear."

"I'm alright," Anna told him with a smile, "Did you talk to the estate agent?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," he told her slowly, "The house is ours."

Anna squealed in delight, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his mouth soundly; John laughed at her excitement.

"Really?" she asked finally, "When can we move?"

"In a few weeks, I suppose. The house was already ours, it's just ours officially now," he said, leaning in to kiss her, "We have a house."

"Is it just me or those words are just perfect?" Anna said against his lips.

"They are," John agreed, stroking her arms, "We should go out and celebrate."

"Yeah, we should," Anna told him simply as they leaned in for another kiss, but just as their lips touched, a phone started to ring.

Huffing, John looked around for his cell phone, when it was obvious it wasn't Anna's landline; he stood up and went to look for the phone in his coat's pocket. He looked at Anna apologetically when he looked at the phone on his hand.

"It's Robert, I'll have to take this," he told her, and Anna shrugged, telling him to go ahead.

As he walked around the living room talking to Robert on the other line, Anna pondered at her latest discovery; she had been determined to wait a little longer to tell him, but now she felt like she could burst if she didn't. Maybe wait until they're out? Or tell him in the morning?

It didn't feel right to wait that much.

She sighed nervously, exchanging a smile with John as he sat down behind her again, still talking on the phone.

He looked tired. Happy, but tired.

Just as she thought this, he said goodbye to Robert and turned to look at her again.

"So, where are we going tonight?"

"Um... I don't know," Anna answered sincerely, her thoughts elsewhere. "Listen, there's something I need to tell you."

He frowned, "What is it?"

She stared at his handsome face, looked to the floor and then at him again. He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together, and Anna sighed before speaking again.

"I think I'm pregnant."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **This chapter was a bit difficult because, to be honest with you, I wasn't sure how to proceed after chapter 12. I had a plan when I started writing this, and then I decided to change, but in the end I went back to the original plan. I hope you'll like it. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

"Anna, are you feeling alright?" Ethel asked her with concern, "You look so pale."

Gwen looked up from her sandwich and stared at Anna as well; they were at a café nearby the hospital, and Anna wasn't feeling particularly hungry now that she was actually eating. Their day was very stressful with several patients to prepare for surgery, and she had been looking forward to a break; now, however, with a moment of peace, she realised she wasn't feeling so well.

"I've always been pale, Ethel," Anna said, finally letting go of the fork and pushing her plate aside.

"Maybe you've not recovered from the flu yet," Gwen suggested, "Are you alright to work?"

"She better be, after missing two days of work because she wasn't feeling alright!" Ethel snorted.

"I _can _work," Anna told them with a pointed look, "I've just been feeling a little queasy, that's all. It's nothing."

"Well, you should at least eat something," Gwen said.

"I've lost my appetite," Anna said, making a face at the food.

Gwen shook her head slightly, clearly not over with the discussion, and just as she was about to speak a buzzing noise interrupted her; Ethel grabbed her phone from the table, reading something and smiling at them.

"Dr. Tam has an emergency. I better go," Anna rolled her eyes at her friend, but Ethel ignored it and looked pointedly at her, "Y'know, last time I felt like you're feeling right now I was pregnant with Charlie. Just so you know."

Anna remained serious and watched as Ethel happily left them. Gwen shook her head in a disappointed way.

"I can only imagine the type of emergency Dr. Tam might have," Gwen said, turning to look at Anna, who was staring at the table, deep in thought, "Come on, Anna, don't mind about Ethel. She doesn't know what she says."

Anna nodded, "Yeah, I know. It's just that... I don't know."

She ran her fingers through her hair in an exasperated manner, her mind full of things she had been determined to put aside.

"Anna," Gwen started quietly, "you're not... pregnant, are you?"

Anna looked around them, thankful that no one seemed to have heard Gwen's low voice. She rested her head on her hands, took a deep breath and sat up straight, her hands now fumbling with a napkin. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.

"I'm late. I'm never late," Anna told her in a low voice, "I just don't know what to do. This is not the right time."

"Have you told John?"

"God, no," Anna shook her head, "He asked me about a hundred times yesterday why I was so quiet, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him. He doesn't need another thing to worry about."

"Well, have you taken a test yet?" Gwen asked her.

"No, not yet."

"So you might not be pregnant."

Anna's response was silent. Indeed, she might not be pregnant. She had never been pregnant before to know how that felt like, but the more she thought about the last few days the more she thought that was a certain fact.

She was only five days late, but like she said to Gwen, she was never late. She had been on the pill for years, long before meeting John, because that would make her regular – and regular she was. She had never been late before. It was a protection, sure, and for the last few months the only one they used, but it wasn't a hundred percent safe. She had been feeling nauseous the week before, and she hadn't kept anything down in the two days she missed work – she took the first one as PMS and the other as the flu. But still, the things that might have happened didn't leave her alone.

"That's it. You're coming with me right now, back to the hospital, and we'll do a blood test," Gwen told her out of the blue, standing up and forgetting her sandwich.

"What?"

"You heard me. Let's go," Gwen told her in a stern voice.

"We can't do that now!" Anna said, "It'd be unprofessional."

"Come on, Anna, ten minutes," Gwen said, "If you're pregnant, you'll need to know. And better sooner than later, right?"

"Right. Of course," Anna agreed, standing up. "Let's do this."

* * *

><p>"I think I'm pregnant."<p>

The words left her mouth in a rush, and for a moment she wondered if he had understood what she said. His expression was blank for a second, and then surprise took over. He stared at her with huge eyes, and only when he spoke did she realise she was holding her breath.

"Pregnant?" he repeated, apparently in a bit of a shock. Anna couldn't blame him.

"I... I think so, yes," Anna nodded, "I'm almost sure. I've been thinking about this for a while, and maybe I'm being selfish, but I had to tell you. I couldn't keep this to myself any longer."

"Selfish? You're not selfish, Anna. You're _never _selfish," he told her quickly, "Have you... taken a test?"

Anna twisted her fingers nervously, "Yes, at the hospital. I'll know the results tomorrow."

He nodded silently, deep in thought. Anna sighed nervously, watching him from the corner of her eye. He wasn't happy. Of course he wasn't happy. This was a complication. A big complication. The timing was terrible. She didn't think they were ready for this. No, she was sure they weren't ready for this. A few weeks ago they had even agreed to wait a few years.

"I should have waited until I knew for certain," Anna said in a low voice, "I'm sorry."

"What?" he asked her, "Anna, you shouldn't have to deal with this alone. It's not your fault. I'm just a bit shocked, that's all."

Anna let out a soft laugh of relief at his tone and looked down at her hands, "Me too. But we don't know anything for sure now. We should wait and see what we'll have to deal with."

He nodded silently, his hand stroking her cheek as he watched her.

Anna smiled, "I'll go get ready. We should celebrate our new acquisition together."

He smiled at her, kissing her hand as she stood up and started walking away.

* * *

><p>She had tried, and she knew he had tried as well, but as they were having dinner and talking, she knew their minds were elsewhere. She just knew – the way his eyes were always focused on her, the way he stared at her while talking or walking or eating. She knew he was thinking about their earlier talk.<p>

They didn't talk about it, though; it was best this way, Anna thought. It would be foolish to think about something that they weren't even sure about yet. Thinking about someone who might never be seemed just as foolish to her. She truly believed in what she had said before: they shouldn't have to deal with this yet.

There was something about him though, something she didn't quite understand. He seemed almost nervous, almost fussy around her, constantly asking if she was feeling alright or if she wanted to go home already. When they were back in the car, however, he finally approached the subject again.

"You'll know the test's results tomorrow, then?" he asked in an almost cautious manner.

"Yeah, it'll probably be ready in the morning," Anna told him, "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, before taking a breath, "I just would like to be with you when you find out. But I know you, as soon as you get the results you'll open them."

Anna smiled, not trying to correct him, and stared out the window.

"We could go to the market and buy one of those home tests," she suggested after a moment, "They're not all that reliable, but..."

And that's how, twenty minutes later, Anna found herself sitting in her bed beside John, waiting three minutes until the test was ready. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair, not really knowing what to think of this. No matter how bad the timing was, she couldn't say she'd be sad if she was indeed pregnant. She'd always wanted to a mum, after all.

"What are you thinking?" John asked her, amusement in his voice. She turned her head to look at him.

"About how this might change everything," Anna said, "We'll be alright, won't we?"

"Of course," he said quickly, slipping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her towards him, "We'll find a way, I'm sure."

They exchanged a faint smile, and Anna rested her head against his shoulder, feeling suddenly very anxious and tired at the same time. He kissed the top of her head, and they spent the next moments in comfortable silence until Anna spoke again, looking at the clock on the bedside table.

"It's time."

She stood up and walked into her small bathroom, the test resting on the sink. With her hand trembling, Anna grabbed the test, letting out a shaky breath as she looked at the result. John stood at the doorway, staring at her, and they exchanged a look before she handed him the stick. Leaning against the wall, beside him, she waited for him to say something, because she was truly at a loss.

"Guess we shouldn't have relied so much on just one contraceptive method," his voice trembled a bit, but he appeared to be amused as well. He put the test back on the sink and crossed his arms in front of him, looking at her with a smile.

Anna let out a shaky laugh, "Yeah, we shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm sure I was an eager participant on this as well," he said with a smile, pulling her close against him and enveloping her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and she took a deep breath, smelling his scent.

"Yeah, I bet we both were," she agreed with him, "We're having a baby."

"We are."

* * *

><p>"What a nice surprise!" Anna's mother exclaimed as soon as they were inside her parents' house, "We weren't expecting you today!"<p>

"I hope it's no trouble, Rose," John said.

"Trouble? You're no trouble! Besides, I hear that congratulations are in order!" Rose said, petting John's cheek affectionately and looked at Anna expectantly.

After exchanging a bewildered look with John, Anna looked to her mother, "Mum, what are you talking about?"

Anna and John had agreed on telling the news only to her parents and his mother, since they didn't know much about Anna's pregnancy yet; she had a doctor appointment next week, and they had yet to know how far along she was. Thinking it was too early to tell everyone, Anna knew she'd have to tell her mother, even if her father might be a little shocked.

"On the new house, of course!" Rose told them as they followed her across the living room. "Gail told me everything. When are you moving?"

"In a couple of weeks, probably," John answered.

"Sit down, sit down," Rose told them, "But it's so nice. Anna, if you need help with anything, anything at all, your father and I will be glad to help."

"Thanks, Mum," Anna said, looking around, "Where's Dad?"

"That's a good question," Rose said, "FRANK, ANNA AND JOHN ARE HERE!"

Anna let out a laugh and smiled at John, who was by now used to being around her parents. They heard Frank's voice from the distance, and Rose turned to them with a smile, looking from John to Anna.

"How's everything, Mum?"

"Oh, the same old thing. Lord knows your father's been so difficult. Yesterday he was complaining about how I'm always changing the place where he keeps his fishing rods," Rose said, shaking her head, "Turns out they all were in the place he always keeps them. Men. No offense, John."

"None taken, Rose," John said with a smile.

They heard the backdoor opening and seconds later Frank appeared. He greeted them both before settling on his usual chair; Rose excused herself to make some tea, ignoring Anna's offer to help, and left the room. Frank asked John about things in York and soon they were talking about politics, something that her father loved talking about. Rose came back moments later, exchanged an annoying look with Anna and sat back down beside her daughter.

"You look a bit peaky, darling," Rose said, looking at Anna worriedly, "Have you been eating well?"

"Yes, Mum. You've been talking too much to Nana," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "Actually, we came here because we wanted to tell you something."

She squeezed John's knee lightly, making him stop talking and turning to her; Frank eyed them suspiciously and Rose frowned – Anna was sure she was already thinking of the most dreadful things. She looked at John, who smiled at her reassuringly, and took a deep breath.

"John and I are having a baby."

Her mother stared at them for a moment, surprised, and then, before Anna knew it, Rose was hugging her tightly and then moving to hug John; Frank was still quiet when Anna looked at him nervously, but he smiled broadly at her.

"Come here, puppet," he said, and Anna stood up to hug her father, "You two sure work fast."

Anna let out a laugh, "Yeah, faster than we intended to, anyway."

Rose was babbling almost incoherently with John, obviously too excited to care, and Anna and Frank shared a laugh before Anna went back to her seat.

"I knew there was something different about you!" Rose told her, "How far along are you? Are you eating properly, Anna? You know this is a serious thing. I can't believe I'm having another grandchild!"

"Um... We don't know anything yet. We just found out a couple of days ago," Anna told them, "You're the first to know, actually."

"Oh, I can't wait until I tell everyone!" Rose told them excitedly, "Did you hear, Frank? We're to be grandparents again!"

"We'd like to keep it quiet for now. At least until we've been to the doctor," Anna told them, "Alright, Mum?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Understandable," Rose nodded, "Was this a surprise for you as well?"

"It was certainly a surprise to me," Frank mumbled.

"Well, yes," Anna said, ignoring her father, "We weren't expecting this. The situation isn't the best ever, but we'll manage."

"What? Don't tell me that ex-wife of yours is still your wife!" Frank said to John in an incredulous tone.

"She is, unfortunately," John told them, "My lawyer is optimistic, though. He thinks everything will be over soon."

"But it doesn't matter to me," Anna interrupted him, taking his hand, "I have everything I want already."

His father smiled kindly at her. "Well, if you're happy we should be as well. Rose, bring something for us to celebrate. Preferably with alcohol. My little girl is pregnant, I'm entitled to drink a little," he winked at John, "I'm sure you'll understand, John."

"Right, of course! Anna can't drink alcohol, obviously," Rose said, standing up, "What would you like to drink, darling?"

"Um... water is fine, Mum," Anna said, standing up too.

"What are you doing? No, you can sit, I don't need help, you should sit down," Rose said, and Anna did as she was told to.

If Anna had been a little worried about her family, she knew there was nothing to worry about; apart from Frank's fast drinking – she couldn't blame him, though – and her mum's constant questions about her eating habits, everything was just fine. After a while, Frank started to give John some advices on parenting, and the difference between raising girls and boys – a topic that was too early to talk about, in Anna's opinion – and Rose started to talk about all the weird habits she had while pregnant. They asked them about John's divorce again; Anna knew her parents and how marriage was important to them, but she seriously didn't think about that.

She truly had everything she needed.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **Sorry it took a bit longer to post this chapter! I've been working on it for a while, but haven't had enough time or inspiration to finish it. Thankfully I managed to write a lot yesterday, and here we are. I really hope you'll like it - not much longer until we reach the end now! :) Anyway, thanks for reading, and I really hope you'll like it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

Some pregnant women felt dizzy and were constantly hungry; some couldn't keep anything down, and some other had cravings. Anna wasn't like that.

In truth, she didn't feel any different for the first weeks after finding out she was having a baby. She could barely believe it. She didn't think she was glowing and she didn't eat more than normal. She knew what to expect and when to expect it, and if she were very sincere with herself, she didn't _feel _pregnant. She felt completely normal.

If anything, she was a bit more emotional than normal, as John pointed out when, for the second time in a week, he came home to find her crying over something that happened on a soap opera.

It would be a few weeks until they found out if they were having a boy or a girl, and thankfully the decision was mutual – they didn't need any more surprises than they already had.

They went to York a week after finding out and told John's mother – Eleanor was extremely pleased and happy with the news, congratulating them but asking openly about John's divorce and how they would cope with this for now.

Their situation was very complicated, Anna knew that, but she had faith that they would overcome this. The baby _was _wanted, after all; perhaps it would come before they planned, but she allowed herself to be happy about the pregnancy, to think about a child, a child that would belong to them, that would be a little piece of John.

They didn't talk much about it – life went on, and they would deal with whatever it presented them. She would look at herself in the mirror sometimes after showering, to look for any signs of life inside her, and John would smile when she did so. Anna knew he was happy about it – he never outwardly said so, and she knew he worried a lot too, but she knew him and she knew this was to be expected. He watched her, especially while they started packing things for the move, always reminding her to not lift heavy boxes and more often than not his hand stopped at her lower belly, as if expecting to feel something.

It was too early, of course, but Anna didn't mind a bit.

"It's so quiet now that they're gone, isn't it?" Anna asked John one night; they had spent the evening taking care of Maya and Oliver, since Gail and Steve had an event of the company Steve worked for.

John looked up from the book he was reading on the bed, watching as Anna put on her pyjamas.

"We should enjoy the quiet. In a few months we won't have much of it," John smirked and Anna playfully glared at him before walking to the bed, "I think you're starting to show a bit."

Anna frowned, "Am I?"

He put his book on the bedside table and took his glasses off; Anna settled beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Just a bit. It's nearly imperceptible," he told her, "You're skinny. It was bound to happen sooner than later."

Anna smiled, "Yeah, you're right. I don't mind, though. It happens so fast. It looks like we found out only two days ago."

He let out a soft laugh and moved his hand from her shoulder to her waist.

"Yeah. Takes a while getting used to it, but I'm enjoying it so far."

"We'll talk about that when the baby is here and crying its lungs out," Anna said with a small laugh, propping her chin against his chest and looking at him, "Do have any preference? For a girl or a boy?"

"A girl."

"You didn't even hesitate!" Anna said amusedly, "Most men want a son, and you want a daughter. You never cease to surprise me."

John smiled, "Of course I'd love to have a son, but when I think about it... Boys are trouble, Anna. Look at me. Having a child with my girlfriend while in the middle of a nasty divorce process."

Anna smiled sympathetically at him, moving one of her hands to stroke his cheek.

"You're not trouble. You're a good man," she started, "and you make me happy. And you'll be an amazing father, I know that."

He smiled a bit sadly, "I hope so. I just wish I could give you everything you deserve, Anna."

"You love me, and that's enough for now," Anna told him sternly, "And you'll love this child too, and I'm sure it'll be enough to him or her."

He relaxed a bit with her words.

"I love this baby already, Anna."

"Good. Then I'm even happier," she said, kissing him tenderly on the lips. She pulled away and frowned, "I don't mind if we have a boy or a girl. I'm sure we can handle anything."

"I agree," he said, "If we have a boy, I'm sure we'll be able to teach him all about nasty women and bad divorces."

"Teach him about that?" Anna asked in an amused tone.

"Of course. Not every woman has the same kind soul his mother has."

Anna's smile certainly made his world prettier to look at.

* * *

><p>"I hope you don't have any plans for tonight," John said while they got ready for work in the morning. He had a mischievous grin on his face and Anna grinned.<p>

"Why do you ask?" Anna asked, walking over to him and helping with his tie, "Do you want to take some of the boxes to the house already?"

"So you didn't remember," he let out a laugh.

Anna frowned, finishing his tie. "Didn't remember what?"

"A year ago, I met a pretty young nurse who worked as a cashier," he said, slipping his arms around her waist and kissing her lips.

Anna grinned, "Really? How unconventional."

"Indeed. Later I found out she was also a pretty good tour guide," he teased and Anna laughed. "I thought we could go out and celebrate."

"You always have the best ideas," Anna said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I'll pick you up after work," he told her with a smile.

Anna nodded happily, but they were interrupted by the sound of knocks on the door. Anna frowned – that wasn't a common occurrence.

"I'll get it. It's probably one of the neighbours," he told her, kissing the tip of her nose and leaving the room.

Anna finished getting ready and a few minutes later heard voices from the living room. Frowning, she left the bedroom and headed for the living room, stopping at the entrance when she saw who John was speaking to.

Vera.

She was standing with her back to her, but when John spotted her and his features relaxed ever so slightly, the discussion ended, and Vera turned around to see what John was looking at. Looking at Anna from head to toe with a disgusted expression, she smiled.

"Oh, good. Blondie is here," she said in mockery, "I didn't think you'd stick by him for so long, dear. I must say I'm impressed."

"What do you want here, Vera?" John asked her as Anna walked over to him. "Murray called me yesterday to tell everything was settled. What is the matter now?"

"Murray is an idiot. Did you really think I was going to accept that?" Vera asked him, shaking her head, "I'm not leaving this marriage in misery to see you enjoy the good life with your young little girlfriend. I thought I'd come here and tell you myself, since our lawyers aren't speaking the same language."

"I don't think _we _ever spoke the same language, Vera," John said calmly.

"I'm doing you a favour, John. By not consenting this you can't marry the pretty little thing," Vera said with a smile, starting to walk back to the door, "I'm sure you have many qualities, Ms. Smith, but I don't consider being a fortune hunter one of them."

"I am not..."

"Of course you aren't. Next thing you know you're married and with a baby on the way. Life's made, isn't it?" Vera said, opening the door, "Think about what I said, John. This is not over."

The door closed loudly and Anna stood still on her spot, wondering not for the first time how John could have married such a woman. She heard his quiet sigh and saw him watching her from the corner of her eye; blinking rapidly, she didn't make eye-contact. Not for the first time, she wondered why they had to deal with this. She looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling very tired, and ran her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes for a moment.

"How did she get in here?" Anna asked him quietly, still not making eye-contact.

"She must have come up with one of the neighbours. It's the only explanation," John said, "I'm sorry about this, Anna."

"I know," she agreed, finally looking up at him, "I'm just tired, that's all. We should go, or we'll be late."

He drove her to the hospital in silence, the weight of Vera's words on their minds. Anna normally tried not to care about this; she tried not to think or interfere on his divorce process, always feeling it was not her place to do so. Still, she knew how much it burdened John that he wasn't a free man – that technically he wasn't allowed to be with her. She didn't care about this in a daily basis, but sometimes it was hard not to. Would their child be born to a father married to another woman?

He stopped the car in front of the main entrance of the hospital, and Anna looked at her troubled boyfriend with a faint smile on her face. It was not his fault. She knew he was doing his best about this.

She leaned in and kissed his lips softly.

"Let's not make this ruin our day, okay?" she tentatively said, and he nodded. "You're the one who always says nothing good comes from her."

His smile was weak, but it was enough for the moment.

"You're right," he kissed her lightly again, "I'll pick you up after shift. Take care of yourself."

She smiled, "I will."

* * *

><p>Anna bit the inside of her cheek nervously, looking at the back of John's car for the millionth time since leaving his apartment.<p>

After weeks of working on the move, filling up boxes and deciding which furniture would go and which ones would stay, of buying new things, they were finally ready to live in their new house.

"What is it?" John asked her when she looked at the back once more.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," Anna told him with a frown, "Are you sure that's everything left?"

"Yes, Anna," John said patiently, "You do realise that this is the third time you've asked me this, right?"

"I know. I'm just... anxious," she told him as they approached their house.

All too soon – or perhaps late – Anna was opening the car's door and looking at their new house. Of course she had been here quite a lot during these last weeks – new furniture, new boxes, moving, everything had happened in a cautious rush, and now there they were, with everything ready. They'd be finally moving completely into their new place, together.

Anna moved to open the door to the backseat, meaning to pick up one of the remaining three boxes, filled with the rest of their things; they'd still need to work on organising everything that day – Anna absolutely hated leaving things half-finished, and she was adamant about having everything settled soon.

She followed John to the front door, holding the lightest box John had picked up for her; she tapped her feet a bit impatiently on the floor while he sorted out the keys, and she was already moving towards the door once he opened it. He stopped, however, and with a strange smile he looked at her.

"Let's do this properly," John told her, "Leave that box on the floor."

Anna frowned, "Why?"

"Can't I carry my lovely girlfriend into the threshold?" he asked her, and Anna rolled her eyes at him, but did as he wished.

"I believe the right term is 'bride', not 'girlfriend'," she told him playfully, "But I'll let this one go, seeing as there's nothing we can do about that."

With little effort, he slipped his arms around her and lifted her in his arms. They shared a smile as he walked into their new home.

"Careful there," she told him, "I'm a pregnant lady, you know."

"I know," he said, "and a very pretty one at that."

She leaned in and kissed his lips quickly before he put her back on the floor.

"I'll bring those boxes over here and you can start sorting things out," he told her, "I don't want you lifting much weight."

She rolled her eyes, "Alright."

Later that evening, after settling nearly everything in the right place, Anna was just finishing arranging the bathroom items when he walked into the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe and watching her. She half-turned and smiled at him, continuing with her work.

"I think we should stay in tonight," he told her, "Enjoy our new home. Get to know it a little."

She smiled at him from the mirror, "I agree."

He made no move to go away, and they spent a few more moments enjoying a comfortable silence until Anna spoke again.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," she told him quietly, but he frowned at her words, "About how I'm a girlfriend and not a bride. I was just joking."

"I know that," he told her quickly, "You don't need to apologise."

"Well, yes, but I don't want you to think that I expect anything," Anna said, turning from the counter and looking at him, "Except for the baby, of course. It's just that... Well, I don't want you to think that I'm doing this all on purpose for a big plan. Because I'm not, and I know what people may think and say about this."

He folded his arms and shook his head, "Anna, if this is about what Vera said last week..."

"It's not about her," she interrupted him, "Well, maybe it is a bit, but I just thought I'd make myself clear. I don't care what people say. I only care about you, and I want you to know that..."

"I know," he told her calmly, leaving his spot in the doorframe to walk towards her, "I don't care about anyone else. And I don't want you worrying over this. Vera doesn't know anything about us, and she doesn't even know about the baby. We have an audience next month and maybe then everything will be settled. Meanwhile, I don't want you worrying over this. Alright?"

She nodded silently, and he kissed her forehead, his arms familiarly wrapped around her waist.

"And about the bride issue," he started, "believe me, I already told you that, if I could have my way I would have married you before this whole living together thing."

Anna smiled, pulling away just enough to look at him, "Or living in sin, like Mum likes to say."

He let out a soft laugh, "Something like that."

She kissed him softly on the lips, "I don't mind living in sin with you."

"Good," he said, pulling her into a deeper kiss, "Neither do I."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **I really struggled with this chapter and I must say that it didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted it to, but I'm resigned to it. This was supposed to be the last one, but I think it would be just too big and with way too much information, so there's only one chapter left. I haven't had much time lately but I'll do my best to have the last chapter ready next week. Really, really hope you'll like this one. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen<strong>

"I'm done, Murray," John said in a loud, impatient voice. Anna looked up from her book and frowned at his tone. He glanced at her and softened his voice, "I don't care about what I'll lose. Give her what she wants. Give her the flat, give her the car. I don't care anymore."

His tone was tired and his voice was empty. Anna was used to it by now; the divorce seemed to be approaching its conclusion, but as it was there were many things to be settled. Vera didn't seem to be happy about anything yet, and John was more impatient than ever.

"I am serious," she heard John say again after a few seconds, "I can get everything settled for the hearing next week. I want to get out of there as a free man."

He and Murray spoke a little more, and as much as Anna didn't want to meddle, she didn't understand why this was taking so long. Of course it wasn't simple, what with Vera being difficult, but she truly didn't understand why they couldn't get a deal. As the phone call ended, she heard John sighing and seating beside her; she looked up from her book once again.

"Vera being difficult?"

John snickered.

"Well, there was only one aspect in which she wasn't very difficult, and I'm not interested on that anymore," he told her, "This is Vera being Vera. The hearing is next week, and her lawyer contacted us again to make more requests. I'm done with this. It's been eighteen months."

Anna smiled sympathetically and closed the book, putting it to rest on the coffee table. His arm came around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him, and she wrapped her arm around his middle.

"Why did you marry her?" she asked, "I mean, if she was always so difficult, why did you marry her in the first place?"

"I thought I loved her," he said simply, "It seemed quite enough at the time. I suppose we were similar in some ways. We both drank a lot more than what was good for us, and we didn't have many prospects. I thought we could achieve something together. Curiously enough, I only achieved anything when we weren't together anymore."

She let out a laugh, "So it wasn't a successful marriage in any way."

"Not at all," he agreed, "She's smart, but she never tried in the right way. Instead of helping, we just bothered each other. We had many issues, and at first I thought we would be able to get over them. Obviously I was wrong."

Anna smiled a bit sadly, her free hand naturally coming to rest on her growing belly. Only last week they found out they were expecting a baby boy, much to their surprise and joy. John had been convinced the baby was a girl, and while Anna didn't have any preferences on the matter, she was really happy about the fact. They were already choosing names, something that was proving to be very difficult, even if they seemed to have similar opinions.

"It'll be over soon," he told her quietly, kissing the top of her head, "Our marriage will be different."

She smiled at his words. Of course their marriage will be different, but the truth was that she didn't expect marriage – and if she were honest with herself, she didn't want it, not at the present moment. They were already living together, with a baby on the way. She didn't want their wedding to be rushed or for him to feel pressured about this. She wanted their marriage to be everything his last one wasn't – happy and quiet and with their own time. To get married just because of the baby didn't feel right for her.

"Well, if we think about it, we're in some kind of marriage already," she told him, pulling away just enough to look at him, "So having a wedding or being married legally doesn't matter. And I like to think it's much better than your marriage to Vera."

He smiled, "You make me very happy. You and the little one," he said, "I just need this to be over before the baby is born. It's only fair to him."

"It'll be over soon. I know it," she kissed him lightly on the lips.

He smiled at her, "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," Anna said with a smile, "Dad thinks we should call the baby Frank. He thinks it's only fair, since the baby won't have his surname."

John laughed, "Is he serious?"

"Who knows? But I already told him we won't name him Frank," Anna said, "God knows one Frank is enough for Mum to handle."

* * *

><p>When Anna got home after a longer than normal shift and John wasn't there yet, she worried.<p>

The hearing day had finally arrived, the last hearing, the one where everything would be over. It would be in York and even though Anna wanted to be there for John, she knew it would do no good for him if she was there. Even so, she had to work, and stayed in Scarborough. The hearing was set in the afternoon, and John promised to call her once it was finished, but he didn't. Instead, it was dark by the time she arrived home to an empty house.

So, of course, she worried. Maybe the hearing hadn't gone so well, after all. John was optimistic that this would be the last one, and that he would be finally legally divorced soon, but Anna wasn't so sure anymore. Or maybe he wanted to give her the news in person? She didn't really understand.

So, she went on about her usual routine; she took a shower and made them dinner, hoping that he wouldn't take too long to arrive and fighting the urge to call him. Time seemed to be going by so slowly and Anna resumed her waiting by watching TV. Eventually, her eyelids were heavy and the images were a bit blurred.

She felt a gentle shake on her shoulder after what seemed like a minute later, and opened her eyes to see John in front of her. Immediately alarmed, her eyes widened.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked him fiercely, but before he could answer she was on her feet and running towards the kitchen, "I left our dinner in the oven!"

She found out in the next moment that she had only slept for a couple of minutes, and therefore their lasagne wasn't ruined. She sighed in relief, only to hear a chuckle from the doorway. She graced John with a laugh, and then remembered where he had been. And as she looked at him – looked at his broad smile, his relaxed shoulders – she knew the outcome of the hearing.

She smiled, folding her arms in front of her, knowing what to expect and suddenly feeling so, so much relieved, "Well?"

"Well," he started, his eyes piercing hers with determination, "I'm free."

His tone was quiet, but his voice didn't hide his excitement; before she knew exactly what she was doing, she let out an excited shriek and ran to him; with a laugh, he wrapped his arms around her and, smiling, they shared his first kiss as a free man.

"So that's it? You're divorced, then?" Anna asked him with a bright smile.

"The decree was granted," he told her, "I'm divorced."

They shared another smile; suddenly it felt as if a wall between them had been brought down with the divorce. As they sat and John told her what happened, it didn't matter how much was lost. He was finally free.

He explained about the final case as they ate; since Vera hadn't allowed the divorce from the beginning, and she made John's relationship with Anna known, he had been the more upset part on the judgement, something he didn't condemn. She had been granted with most of his assets he had acquired while married to her, something he had anticipated. From John's point of view, Vera would have no financial problem for a long time. To him, she seemed quite satisfied with the arrangements, and left court without so much as a word to him.

"I just hope she keeps quiet now," he told her, "But I think she'll have plenty of things to occupy herself with. Her lawyer tells Murray she's organising a trip to Fiji, to clear her head."

"Let's hope she'll be happy on her own in Fiji, then," Anna smiled, "What about you? What will you do to clear your head, now that you're a divorced man?"

"Well," John said, looking around the room, "I've been thinking about going to a quiet place. Maybe Vegas or Ibiza."

Anna smirked at him, "Oh, you're so cheeky."

He reached for her and kissed her soundly, "Or maybe I can just settle on spending my days with you."

"As long as it won't be a huge sacrifice for you," Anna teased him, "Not everyone throws Ibiza away, you know."

"Here's a man who does," he told her, his hands caressing her cheeks, "And it's completely worth it."

* * *

><p>One of the bad things about not planning a baby was that you felt at a loss on how to get things ready for him. Anna knew enough of it from watching her sister's pregnancies, but it was a very different thing when you were the one having the baby. They needed to plan, and they needed to plan a lot in only a few months; soon enough, their baby would be welcomed into their lives and, they knew, everything would change.<p>

And that's precisely why John and Anna found themselves in York, looking at several baby items on a Saturday morning, before visiting John's mother.

Anna was already six months pregnant, and they had yet to finish getting the nursery ready, but at least they had already settled on a name. Still, it became some sort of habit to them, to look for new things, things the baby might need; their parents had already showered them with clothes, including ones that would only fit the baby in a few months, and with many toys, many of them not really appropriate until the baby was older. Even so, they always had a good time, picking out small clothes and wondering how things will be once their baby arrived. Truth be told, Anna enjoyed it much more than John did; shopping wasn't his thing, and he soon grew impatient of window-shopping and such.

"Oh, look at those little cute sweaters. Can you imagine Henry wearing them? He'd look like a little man," Anna cooed, coming to a stop in front of the window of this particular baby store in the mall.

John had his arm around her shoulders, while his free hand held a bag containing two stuffed animals and an '_U2 for Babies_'s' album that Anna was sure it was more for John than for baby Henry. She heard him sigh patiently and looked up to see an amused expression on his face.

"I believe your mother has already bought two of them," John said, looking at his watch. "We can't be too long. Mum is expecting us for lunch."

Anna smirked, "Alright, let's go. I know you just want to be out of here soon."

"I don't just want to get out of here. I'm just saying that Mum is expecting us," he said, "I like to shop."

Anna was about to make a comment to this when a somewhat familiar voice reached her ears.

"Anna?"

She searched for the source of the voice, and smiled when she found it, "Everett!"

Walking hand in hand with a brunette on his side, Everett walked over to Anna with a smile on his face; he seemed quite surprised to see her – and he would, Anna thought; after all, it's been years and it was quite visible for anyone to see that she was pregnant, even if she had on a loose fitting blouse.

"Wow, it's great to see you!" Everett said after hugging her, "It's been what, six, seven years?"

"Something like that," Anna said, going back to John's arm and looking at the brunette by Everett's side.

"Oh, this is my wife, Saskia," he said, and Anna and John shook hands with her.

"This is John," Anna said with a smile, "Everett and I met while in the university."

"Good times," Everett offered, looking at Anna, "And I guess congratulations are in order too! I always thought you'd make a great mum, Anna."

"Thank you," Anna said, "Lucky for me, John thinks the same."

They spent a few minutes talking, catching up quickly, before Anna sensed John's eyes on her and said it was time to leave; he didn't say anything until they reached the parking lot, and Anna looked at him with a smirk on her face.

"Go ahead," she said, "Ask away."

He smiled as well and nodded, "Alright, then. How long did you date?"

"What? And here I was thinking you'd ask me if I had dated him!"

"Come on," he shrugged, "'I always thought you'd make a great mum', that's not something a friend says to another."

"Isn't it?" Anna asked him, but his stare remained the same, "Alright. We dated for a while. It didn't work out because I wanted to go back to Scarborough and he wanted to stay here in York."

"That's it?"

"That's it. No huge story to tell," Anna shrugged, "It's nice to see him. His wife seems nice."

John nodded silently, a bit thoughtful on his own. Trying to change the subject a bit, she sighed contently.

"Well, now that Henry has his U2 album, we can go," she told him, "Next time, we'll bring your mum along and you can just sit down and we'll do the shopping."

"And leave you two alone?" he asked her, "No. Mum will make you buy the whole store."

Anna let out a laugh as they reached the car and she shook her head at him.

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing!"

"And it is," he assured her, "Plus, I need to be around. You know, in case you run into more ex-lovers. My experiences with former relationships aren't very nice."

Anna grinned, "I bet they aren't."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** It took me a while, but here it is. Last chapter of Misty Rains. Warning: fluffiness ahead. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen<strong>

"I really hope Henry will like U2," Gail commented as Anna showed her Henry's last acquisitions. "Are you sure your mother-in-law didn't buy the whole store? If she's like this before Henry is born, imagine how she'll be once he's here."

"I don't know who'll spoil him more, Eleanor or John," Anna said, shaking her head.

"He's so excited, isn't he?" Gail said with a smile, "But be aware of that. That's why you should give him a sibling in a few years. Maya has improved a lot since Oliver was born."

Anna rolled her eyes, "Yes, in a few years, maybe. I feel like everyone will keep asking us when the next one is coming as soon as Henry is born."

"Maybe. Or maybe people will just ask you when you'll get married," Gail said in a nonchalant manner, "He still hasn't asked you?"

"Why does everyone assume I'm waiting for it?" Anna asked a bit impatiently, "Oh, I get it. Mum's been talking to you, hasn't she?"

"I'm asking you this because I'm curious," Gail defended herself, but Anna remained serious, "Alright, so Mum's wondering about it. But so am I. I was sure that after the divorce was granted he'd ask you."

Anna shook her head, "No, he hasn't. We don't want to rush it, you know? Everything just happened so fast. I don't want to get married only because of the baby."

"Right. So you're saying that you haven't made plans to get married?" Gail asked her.

Anna shook her head, "Not really. We've talked about it, but we never planned anything."

"So you wouldn't accept him if he asked?"

"Gail, what's this about?" Anna asked her, obviously annoyed, "I don't know, maybe. Probably, if he asked. We're having a baby and living together, so it would be the next step. But really, is it necessary? I certainly won't be making any demands."

"You're right, of course," Gail said, "Best not to pressure him. But keep your mind open. I know people don't mind about you not being married, but who knows? Maybe in a few years Henry will be asking why you're not married yet and you won't know the answer for that question."

"What's your point?"

"My point is that there's no reason for you to not be married now," Gail said simply, "Think about it."

* * *

><p>Anna closed the bathroom door and climbed into bed, sighing contently when her head hit the pillow; John closed his book at the same time and then turned off the lamp. He turned to her with a knowing look on his face and she let out a small giggle as he moved his arm so that she could snuggle up with him. She rested her head on his chest, feeling his heart beating against her ear, and his hand came to rest on her lower belly, right where their baby was slowly but significantly making his presence known to the world. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.<p>

"God, I'm tired," she mumbled, "Why did I agree to take care of Maya today again?"

She heard his light chuckle, "Because you're a good sister and Gail needed help. Come on, it wasn't that bad."

It was Anna's turn to chuckle. Gail had asked her early in the day to babysit Maya as Steve was needed at work and she needed to take Oliver to his routine check-up with his paediatrician. Anna said it wouldn't be a problem, as she would finish her shift by noon, and Maya was excited at the prospect of spending the afternoon with Auntie Anna.

What Anna hadn't know was that John had planned them some nice afternoon off, having left work early to spend time together. Seeing Maya around, he looked downright surprised but accepted everything with grace, and even suggested they went out to do something fun – they took Maya to the beach, got some ice cream, and the little girl seemed to have the time of her life with Auntie Anna and Uncle John; when Gail came to pick her up, at the end of the day, she found the girl asleep on Anna's bed.

"You're not the one who got water all over your clothes," Anna said with a smile, remembering the scene, "At least she didn't mean it on purpose."

"Of course not," he said in a low voice, "She's a good little girl. We'll just see this as a lesson. Don't take Maya to the beach anytime soon."

Anna's smile grew wider, and she looked up at John, "She seemed to have a good time. And I did too. I'm just sorry you couldn't go on with your plan to surprise me."

"I spent half of my afternoon picking seashells with a four-year-old and hearing you laughing," he said in an amusing tone, bringing his hand to her hair, "Maybe it didn't go as planned, but I had fun too."

She turned her head back to his chest, snuggling up even more with him, feeling very sleepy and comfortable; she really was tired. She smiled inwardly, remembering how lovely it had been to see John talking to Maya, explaining her things and even playing with her. She kissed his chest softly, her eyes closing slowly.

"You'll be the most amazing father," she said in a quiet voice.

"And you'll be the most amazing mother," she heard him say, adoration in his voice.

"Can you imagine how it'll be when he's here with us?" she asked, "I mean, of course he's already here – I can feel him trying to hit my bladder – but to see him, and touch him... I wonder if I'll adjust fast."

"It'll be perfect," he said, and she felt him kiss the top of her head, "You'll see."

* * *

><p>"So I told her that this wasn't her responsibility," Anna said, "It was just so sad, but there was nothing anybody could do. And we're unfortunately used to it, but it makes me feel so useless."<p>

John smiled at her as she told him about her day. As much as she used to the life of a nurse, some patients got to her. She brought work home sometimes – if not physically, emotionally. This week, in particular, had been a difficult one. She tired more easily, and sometimes she felt extremely emotional. All in all, however, the pregnancy was going well. She was approaching her seventh month of pregnancy, and everything was running smoothly.

"Don't say that, Anna. You're a competent, strong, amazing woman. And I love you," John said as she rested her head against his shoulder and leaned into him. They were sat on the living room's couch, the television mute in front of them, his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her forehead and she reached for his free hand, lacing her fingers with his.

"It's just hard sometimes," she told him quietly, "To see people in pain and not be able to help them. I don't even want to imagine what I'd do if you weren't here with me. I'd be so helpless."

"Not more than I'd be without you," he said, and Anna smiled, "If it helps, I don't plan on going anywhere. You're stuck with me now."

"Good," Anna said, nuzzling into the crook of his neck, "I kind of like the thought of being stuck with you."

She knew he was smiling by the way he gently squeezed her fingers, and she closed her eyes for a second. She loved these moments – she loved how he listened to her, how he made her feel better only with few words, small touches. Perhaps they hadn't done everything properly, but everything fitted perfectly with them now. She sighed contently; Henry was particularly active today. She felt a kick on her side and she was sure John must have felt it too, hearing his chuckle. Seeing people's misery and loss and sadness only made her enjoy all the more what she had right now. She was happy. She was in a great relationship and she was expecting a baby in little more than three months. Anna smiled; her day might not have been the best so far, but just by enjoying this moment with John it was getting better.

"Marry me."

His words were quiet and soft, so soft that for a moment she thought she might have heard wrong. She opened her eyes alarmingly. She wasn't expecting this. Surely he wouldn't joke with something like this.

He must have felt her tense against – he really knew her so well – as he moved so that he could look at her. She stared at him in bewilderment – perhaps she even looked a bit sceptical. He grinned, and she did the same, breaking out of his touch and crossing her arms in front of her.

"You're not serious," she said, but it was almost a question instead of a statement.

He sighed dramatically.

"You're making me say it again, won't you?" he asked her, and Anna nodded teasingly at him, "Anna. Will you marry me?"

She looked at him, with his little smile across his face, his hair, which was a bit messy right now, his nervous eyes, and not for the first time she wondered – and hoped – her baby boy would look like him. So now he was asking her to marry him – nineteen months after they met. Nineteen months after he changed her life.

There was only one answer she could give him.

* * *

><p>She stared at the baby in her arms, wondering how was it that she could love someone so much – with so much love that she wondered how it could fit in only one person. She felt she could burst with emotion. Nothing had prepared her for it, not even the long weeks of pregnancy. She had loved him the minute she learnt she was pregnant, and she loved him even more now that she could see him.<p>

Henry was perfect, born only a day after his due date. He frowned a little in his peaceful sleep, and Anna smiled. He took her little finger and wrapped his tiny hand around it. He looked so much like John, with his black hair and little nose and perfect chubby cheeks. John said he looked like her. Anna disagreed – she only saw John in Henry. The only difference were his eyes, which were a dark shade of blue. That could change, though.

His birth had been somewhat rushed; the due date had come and gone and nothing happened. No false alarms. Anna knew what to expect and she knew what happened. When she knew she was in labour, things happened fast. John was nervous – Anna was calm. They went to the hospital and fortunately things progressed quickly. John hadn't even had time to call Anna's mother to let her know the baby was coming, though Anna wasn't sure that because of time or because John was too nervous to properly think.

"Knock, knock," she heard his voice and looked up. He had a smile on his face, a bright smile, and a bouquet of wild flowers on his hand. She remembered the first time she saw him, in the doorway to William's room. He obviously paid a visit to the floriculture on the other side of the street when he left her to let everyone know Henry had been born.

She smiled brightly at him, not caring in the least how she must look like after waking up in the middle of night in labour and having a baby less than three hours later.

As if reading her mind, he chuckled and took his phone from his pocket, earning a scolding look from her but taking the picture anyway.

"You look beautiful," he said, walking over to her after putting the flowers near her feet, on the bed. He kissed her lips fully, lovingly, and then pulled away to look at their child. "Well. I dare say we did a good job, Mrs. Bates."

She grinned, "I dare say we did, Mr. Bates."

She had accepted his proposal, of course – she could never have refused him, anyway. When he had asked what kind of wedding she wanted – when they could marry – she surprised even herself by saying that she didn't particularly wanted any. They needed months to plan a wedding, so it would have to happen after Henry's birth. Anna wasn't sure she wanted a big ceremony and she wasn't sure she would be up to plan a wedding while adjusting to a newborn.

She was the one to suggest the registry office; John didn't seem to care.

They were married two weeks after his proposal, with Gail and Steve as witnesses, and it was more than happy. Anna thought it was perfect.

"Did you call everyone?" she asked him as he carefully stroked Henry's cheek.

"Yes. Your mother was yelling at your father before I had even finished speaking," he said with a chuckle, "Mum is coming in a few hours with Caitlin. I'm sure your siblings and your parents will be here in a few minutes."

Anna nodded, thinking about how to handle her mother's excitement. She felt very tired, but it was impossible to not smile.

"Do you want to hold him? I need to prepare myself for when Mum arrives," she commented, and John let out a laugh.

He took Henry from her, carefully, softly, and Anna knew he was doing his best to make everything right. He didn't need to worry – he was doing perfectly. Henry whimpered quietly, and John looked at Anna alarmingly. A moment later, the baby returned to sleep. John looked relieved.

"You're doing fine," Anna told him, "Don't worry."

He smiled weakly at her, and shook his head, "I can't believe he's ours. Looks like I did something right, finally."

Anna settled her head on the pillows behind her and sighed. "Most definitely."

He looked up from the baby and they exchanged a smile. "Thank you, Anna. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for making me the happiest man alive."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "You silly beggar," she shook her head at him, "You make me very happy as well. I think we both have a lot to be thankful for."

He kissed her hand then, and she moved so that he could lie beside her on the hospital bed; soon their families would be around, and her co-workers would be stopping to visit.

He put his arm around her shoulders, settling in beside her. He was gazing at Henry adoringly and, feeling her eyes upon him, he turned to look at her.

"What are you thinking?"

She pursed her lips, "I'm thinking that you're the most handsome father I've ever known."

He grinned and bent down to kiss her, but Henry started crying the moment their lips met. Anna giggled against John's mouth and looked at Henry, who was whimpering, but not very loudly.

"He might be hungry," Anna said, reaching up for him.

"I think I need to get used to sharing you," John commented, letting Anna take the baby from him, "But you know what? I don't mind."

They exchanged another smile. Her life had changed quite a lot since she met him in this same hospital.

She wouldn't mind this change in one bit.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This is the end of our journey - really hope you've had fun. I'm really glad to have finished this and I want to thank everyone who has read and has ever reviewed this story. I only hope this managed to end things nicely. Thanks so much once more, and I hope to see you around on my other stories! :)


End file.
